Local Councils reduced to eleven

The Stormont Executive has agreed a plan to cut Northern Ireland's local authorities from 26 to 11 by 2011.

The DUP and Sinn Fein said the compromise plan, passed by seven votes to two, would build a firm foundation for strong local government.

It creates four nationalist-dominated councils in the west and south, and six predominantly unionist councils in the north, east and centre.

The plan proposes the amalgamation of Magherafelt District Council with those of Cookstown and Dungannon.