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23/10/2001
Six NI towns apply for prestigious city status
Six towns in Northern Ireland have applied for the highly esteemed city status in a competition to mark the Queen’s golden jubilee next year.
The Lord Chancellor’s Department said a total of 42 towns in the UK have applied before the October 12 deadline for the honour - 26 towns in England, six in Wales, four in Scotland and the six in Northern Ireland.
Four towns - one in each of the UK’s constituent countries - will be granted city status early next year by personal command of the Queen on advice from her ministers.
Northern Ireland’s list of entries includes: Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Craigavon, Lisburn, Newry.
A spokesman for the Lord Chancellor’s Department, which is overseeing the contest, said city status is “sparingly bestowed as a mark of special distinction” which is demonstrated by the fact only 17 grants were made in the entire 20th century. The last cities to be granted city status were Brighton & Hove, Inverness and Wolverhampton to mark the Millennium.
Councils working on their applications were told three main factors would be taken into account in the decision: notable features, including regional or national significance; historical features, including Royal ones; and a “forward-looking attitude”.
A spokesman added that population size will only be considered as a “possible measure of a town’s significance within its region if applicants are otherwise equal.”
There are no firm criteria for city status, however, because the authorities fear this would lead to towns claiming city status “as of right”, devaluing the honour. (AMcE)
The Lord Chancellor’s Department said a total of 42 towns in the UK have applied before the October 12 deadline for the honour - 26 towns in England, six in Wales, four in Scotland and the six in Northern Ireland.
Four towns - one in each of the UK’s constituent countries - will be granted city status early next year by personal command of the Queen on advice from her ministers.
Northern Ireland’s list of entries includes: Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Craigavon, Lisburn, Newry.
A spokesman for the Lord Chancellor’s Department, which is overseeing the contest, said city status is “sparingly bestowed as a mark of special distinction” which is demonstrated by the fact only 17 grants were made in the entire 20th century. The last cities to be granted city status were Brighton & Hove, Inverness and Wolverhampton to mark the Millennium.
Councils working on their applications were told three main factors would be taken into account in the decision: notable features, including regional or national significance; historical features, including Royal ones; and a “forward-looking attitude”.
A spokesman added that population size will only be considered as a “possible measure of a town’s significance within its region if applicants are otherwise equal.”
There are no firm criteria for city status, however, because the authorities fear this would lead to towns claiming city status “as of right”, devaluing the honour. (AMcE)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A rather cloudy but mainly dry day with just the odd shower. Best chance of any brightness will be across northern and eastern counties. Mild. Maximum temperature 11 °C.Tonight:Another cloudy and mild night with the odd spot of rain. More widespread outbreaks of rain will spread southeast late in the night. Minimum temperature 7 °C.
