At a Special Council meeting of North Down and Ards District Council on Monday 15 December, Councillors voted in favour of changing the Council’s name to ‘East Coast Borough Council‘.
The Shadow Council was given the name “North Down and Ards District Council” by the Department of Environment (DoE) as part of the Local Government Reform process. Considering the additional powers and functions that the new Council will have when it comes into effect on 1 April 2015 the Council decided to look at options around its branding and corporate identity.
Following extensive consultation with the Members, Council staff, community and business groups as well as market research with the public and local College students, Councillors were able to make an informed and democratic decision to change the name of the Council.
Presiding Councillor Alan Graham said, “We engaged with our community and business groups and listened to the views of the public in reaching this decision. We believe that the new name signifies a new beginning and the chance to build on the great work of Ards Borough Council and North Down Borough Council. It provides the new Council with an opportunity to set ourselves apart from the rest and to make this area the best place in Northern Ireland to live, work, visit and invest.”
In the New Year the Council will formally apply for Borough status and will submit an application to the DoE to change the name to East Coast Borough Council with effect from 1 April 2015; until then the Council will be known as North Down and Ards District Council.
* Market research took place in Bangor, Holywood, Newtownards and Portaferry and local business and community groups across the Council area were asked for their views. Students in SERC and Council staff were also involved in the engagement and consultation process which took place October and November 2014.
* Following the consultation process, Members voted on a short list of six names at a Special Council meeting on Monday 15 December. The short list of names considered were (in alphabetical order): Ards North Down, East Coast, North County Down, North Down and Ards, LoughLands, Peninsula.
* The total project includes not just the name but also market research, design work on a branding logo and corporate identity which will be used on all Council vehicles and buildings, stationery, website and in tourism publications for example, and an implementation plan. McCadden were the appointed company to manage this process.
Soon Newry Mourne and Down Council will be deciding on its new name for 1 April 2015. Perhaps the name ‘Mourne Borough Council’ may be seen as a unifying step forward in an area where some councillors see as ‘split’ by the Mournes instead of seeing this touurist asset as a unifying factor.
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