Carnhill to absorb Woodbrook West, Leafair to leave Galliagh and join Shantallow and O’Donovon Road to move from Culmore to Shantallow East

Provisional recommendations for the review of Council boundaries were published this week by Local Government Boundaries Commissioner, Sarah Havlin

Ms. Havlin has proposed a series of changes to ward boundaries - mostly in the northern Ballyarnett District Electoral Area (DEA).

The electorate in the Carnhill ward is currently 2,331 but under Ms. Havlin’s recommendations it will rise by 665 to 2,996.

This will be achieved by extending Carnhill north west farther along the Buncrana Road and around Templemore Sports Complex as far as the Skeoge Road.

Oakfield Mews, The Meadows, Woodbrook West, Pine Trees, Temple Court and Knockena, currently a part of the Skeoge ward, will transfer to Carnhill under the plans.

Elsewhere the Culmore ward is set to shrink by 420 potential voters - from 3,210 to 2,790 - if the recommendations are accepted.

This will be achieved by Petrie Way, Papworth Avenue, O’Donovan Road, Portlock Place and Larcom Drive joining Shantallow East.

A modest growth of 68 electors from 2,823 to 2,891 is forecast in Galliagh. Ms. Havlin has proposed that Ederowen Park and Knockalla Park - currently part of Skeoge - should formally be ceded to Galliagh.

The Madam’s Bank ward electorate, meanwhile, will rise by 495 from 2,428 to 2,923.

This is because Ballyarnett Road, Summerhill Park, Summerhill Grove, Grianan Park, Grianan Drive, Shantallow Avenue are going to be moving to Madam’s Bank from Shantallow.

Notwithstanding this transfer the electorate in Shantallow will increase by 101 from 2,879 to 2,980 because it will take in Leafair Gardens, Leafair Park, Lenamore and Capall Court from Galliagh.

The number of electors in Shantallow East will drop by 272 from 3,293 to 3,021 despite its gaining a section of Culmore.

Shantallow East will lose Rockfield to Shantallow. It will also lose Sandale Park, Sandbank Cottages, Sandbank Park and the northern side of the Beragh Hill Road to Skeoge, and Ballyarnett Park to Culmore.

The number of potential voters in Skeoge will drop by 637 from 3,480 to 2,843 due to population lost to Carnhill and Galliagh.

All of the proposed changes in Derry affect wards in the Ballyarnett DEA with one impacting both the Ballyarnett and the Foyleside DEAs.

The electorate totals in all other wards in the city will remain as they are.

“There has been some alteration to ward boundaries to satisfy the legislative requirement for each ward within the district to have substantially the same number of electors. There is a total of 109,899 electors within the district which averages at 2,747 electors per ward and my recommended changes are designed to balance the electorate across the district,” Ms Havlin states in her report on Derry and Strabane.

Members of the public and their representatives are now encouraged to participate and share their views on the initial proposals. Full details on how to access and respond to the consultation can be found at the https://www.lgbc-ni.org.uk/consultation page.

The provisional recommendations report and maps can also be found at the LGBC site.