As one wit put it, the new council areas are strange to stay the least. The massive council that stands to include Lisburn at one end Carrick at the other looks like a giant banana. The two places have were once connected by Antrim County Council, but little in recent times. In parts of England there remains three tiers of local government> County, District, and Parish. The former two having real powers, and the last using tiny budgets, but in being closest to the ground, it gives some permanent consultative bodies.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty