Magherafelt District Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Council headquarters are in Magherafelt. The Council area stretches from Lough Neagh and the River Bann in the east and into the Sperrin Mountains in the west and is divided by the Moyola River. It covers an area of 214 square miles (550 km2) and has a current population of over 39,500. Local towns in the area include Bellaghy, birthplace of poet Seamus Heaney in 1939.
The Council is composed of 16 elected representatives. Local elections are held every four years on a proportional representation system. At the last election in May 2011, those elected were from the following political parties: 9 Sinn Féin, 3 Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), 2 Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and 2 Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). The chairman and vice-chairman are elected on an annual basis at the annual general meeting in May or June. The current (2012/13) chairman is Councillor Paul McLean (DUP), and the vice-chair is Councillor Catherine Elattar (SF). Both councillors represent the Magherafelt Town electoral area.
In elections for the Westminster Parliament it is part of the Mid Ulster constituency.
Read more about Magherafelt District Council: 2011 Election Results, Electoral Regions, Review of Public Administration
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