Craigavon to be venue for first shadow super council meeting

The Mayes Hall will be hosting the meeting in June as it was deemed the only suitable place, the Statutory Transition Committee has decided.

The new ABC Council will have the final responsibility of deciding where the official council chambers will be situated and it is widely tipped that Craigavon is the prime location.

None of the existing chambers in either Armagh, Banbridge or Craigavon are large enough to hold full meetings of the new council which will have 41 councillors.

Space is also required for council officers, members of the public and the press.

There had been concerns that if the Civic Centre’s Mayes Hall had not been regarded as suitable the first meeting would have to be held outside the council area.

The new council will face major decisions on where it will be based and where each council department will be situated.

The current Statutory Transition Committee is meeting prior to the election of the shadow ABC council. Its chairman, Armagh Councillor Jim Speers said: “In essence what we are doing is creating one of the biggest business in Northern Ireland.

“The new council needs to be run in a business-like manner and it is essential that the new council leads the drive to boost the economy of the entire region. The new council needs to be the catalyst for new development.”