Local towns in the area included Bellaghy, birthplace of poet Seamus Heaney in 1939.

The final (2013/14) chairman was Councillor Catherine Elattar (SF), who represented the Magherafelt Town electoral area, and the vice-chair was Councillor Anne Forde (DUP), who represented the Sperrin electoral area.

This was the second occasion on which Magherafelt District Council had elected two women to the top two positions.

[2] The introduction of this new super-council however was postponed but the election for it finally took place in 2014 with reorganisation completed in 2015.

The area covered by Magherafelt District Council had a population of 45,038 residents according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census.