Council Information
Down District Council:
- Provides certain services directly
- Puts forward the views of the people of the district to other bodies who take decisions affecting their lives, particularly the Northern Ireland Executive and the Stormont Committees.
- Work with these bodies, and in partnership seek to enhance the quality of life for local people in Down District.
Down District Council's directly provided services are as follows:
- Access to the Countryside
- Advice and Information Services
- Advice on Pest Control
- Building Control and Regulations
- Burial Grounds
- Civic Ceremonials
- Community Development
- Community Relations
- Consumer Protection
- Dog control/dog fouling, stray dogs
- Economic Development
- Environmental Education
- Inspection of premises for food safety, food hygiene and safety and general health inspections.
- Leisure and Community Centres
- Licensing (including entertainment, dogs, petroleum and registration of clubs etc)
- Markets and Fairs
- Museum Services
- Parks and open spaces and rights-of-way
- Pollution control - air and solid waste
- Public Toilets
- Recreation Grounds and Services
- Refuse Collection and Disposal of Waste
- Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Sports Development
- Street Cleansing
- Support and Development of Arts
- Swimming Pools
- Tourism
The Council has powers to:
- raise money from the annual rates (local taxes) which are payable on homes and businesses. Each Council has a different rate.
- borrow money in a variety of ways.
- buy, rent, lease or build the necessary buildings for the Council to carry out its business effectively.
- employ staff to do all the necessary work.
- acquire land and property to develop and improve facilities and to sell land or property that is no longer necessary to the Council's work.
- work with other organizations, community groups etc to improve life for our residents and visitors.
- co-operate with other public bodies and government departments for the benefit of the district.
- deliver regulatory functions in relation to Environmental Health, Building Control, Registration.
Contacts:
Down District Council
Downshire Civic Centre
Downshire Estate
Ardglass Road
Downpatrick
BT30 6GQ
T: 0 28 4461 0800
F: 0 28 4461 0801