Past Belfast lord mayors have gathered with the current office-holder for a special event to mark the end of Belfast City Council in its existing guise.

Formed in 1973, the council is set to be replaced at the beginning of next month by a new council as part of local government reform in Northern Ireland. It will have increased powers and responsibility for a larger geographical area.

Speaking at City Hall, the incumbent, Nichola Mallon, highlighted the hard work, commitment and selflessness of former lord mayors. She reflected on the difficult past of the city and the council: “The contentious times we came through should not take away from the achievements of the various incarnations of the council, which played a pivotal role in bringing the city to where it is today.

“Belfast is now a city full of hope, full of ambition and with the potential to re-establish itself as a world class city.”

The council’s decision to build the Waterfront Hall in the late 1980s had been the catalyst for the later regeneration of Laganside, she said. Its work on bringing major events to the city such as Tall Ships, MTV European Music Awards and its contribution to the development of Titanic Belfast, which had helped attract record numbers of tourists, had been pivotal in transforming the city, she added.