County borough
County borough | |
---|---|
Category | Borough |
Location | England and Wales and Ireland |
Found in | Counties |
Created by | Local Government Act 1888 Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 |
Created | |
Abolished by | |
Abolished |
|
Number | 11 (as of 2008) |
Possible types |
|
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the
England and Wales
History
Initial creation
When
Growth
The county councils and county borough councils came into operation on 1 April 1889. Just seven months later, on 9 November 1889, the city of Oxford was the first borough which had not been made a county borough by the 1888 Act to be elevated to county borough status.[3] Various other new county boroughs were constituted in the following decades, generally as more boroughs reached the 50,000 minimum and then promoted Acts to constitute them county boroughs. The granting of county borough status was the subject of much disagreement between the large municipal boroughs and the county councils. The population limit provided county councils with a disincentive to allow mergers or boundary amendments to districts that would create authorities with large populations, as this would allow them to seek county borough status and remove the tax base from the administrative county.
County boroughs to be constituted in this era were a mixed bag, including some towns that would continue to expand such as
Slowdown
Upon recommendation of a commission chaired by the Earl of Onslow, the population threshold was raised to 75,000 in 1926, by the Local Government (County Boroughs and Adjustments) Act 1926, which also made it much harder to expand boundaries. The threshold was raised to 100,000 by the Local Government Act 1958.
The viability of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil came into question in the 1930s. Due to a decline in the heavy industries of the town, by 1932 more than half the male population was unemployed, resulting in very high municipal rates in order to make public assistance payments. At the same time the population of the borough was lower than when it had been created in 1908.[4] A royal commission was appointed in May 1935 to "investigate whether the existing status of Merthyr Tydfil as a county borough should be continued, and if not, what other arrangements should be made".[5] The commission reported the following November, and recommended that Merthyr should revert to the status of a non-county borough, and that public assistance should be taken over by central government. In the event county borough status was retained by the town, with the chairman of the Welsh Board of Health appointed as administrative adviser in 1936.[6]
After the
The commission recommended that towns with a population of 200,000 or more should become one-tier "new counties", with "new county boroughs" having a population of 60,000 – 200,000 being "most-purpose authorities", with the county council of the administrative county providing certain limited services. The report envisaged the creation of 47 two-tiered "new counties", 21 one-tiered "new counties" and 63 "new county boroughs". The recommendations of the commission extended to a review of the division of functions between different tiers of local government, and thus fell outside its terms of reference, and its report was not acted upon.Partial reform
The next attempt at reform was by the Local Government Act 1958, which established the
Abolition
The county boroughs of
Revival
This situation did not persist long. In 1986 the metropolitan county councils and the
In Wales, several principal areas are county boroughs:[10]
- Newport (acquired city status in 2002)
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Caerphilly
- Blaenau Gwent
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Bridgend
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Neath Port Talbot
- Wrexham
- Conwy
For all practical purposes, county boroughs are exactly the same as the other
English county boroughs in 1973
The map depicts the county boroughs in England immediately prior to their abolition in 1974. County boroughs in Wales and Northern Ireland are not shown.
This table shows those county boroughs that existed in England and Wales between the Local Government Acts of 1888 (that created them) and 1972 (that abolished them from 1974).
County borough | From | Associated county | 1971 census pop | Successors in 1974 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barnsley | 1913 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 75,439 | Barnsley MB (part) | South Yorkshire |
Barrow-in-Furness
|
1889 | Lancashire | 64,039 | Barrow-in-Furness (part)
|
Cumbria |
Bath
|
1889 | Somerset | 84,686 | Bath | Avon
|
Birkenhead
|
1889 | Cheshire | 137,889 | Wirral MB (part)
|
Merseyside |
Birmingham
|
1889 | Warwickshire | 1,014,773 | Birmingham MD (part)
|
West Midlands |
Blackburn
|
1889 | Lancashire | 101,802 | Blackburn (part) | Lancashire |
Blackpool
|
1904 | Lancashire | 151,871 | Blackpool | Lancashire |
Bolton | 1889 | Lancashire | 154,223 | Bolton MB (part)
|
Greater Manchester |
Bootle
|
1889 | Lancashire | 74,304 | Sefton MB (part) | Merseyside |
Bournemouth
|
1900 | Hampshire | 153,861 | Bournemouth | Dorset |
Bradford | 1889 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 294,164 | Bradford MB (part) | West Yorkshire |
Brighton
|
1889 | Sussex | 161,350 | Brighton | East Sussex |
Bristol
|
1889 | Gloucestershire[a] | 426,653 | Bristol | Avon |
Burnley
|
1889 | Lancashire | 76,489 | Burnley (part)
|
Lancashire |
Burton upon Trent
|
1901 | Staffordshire | 50,211 | East Staffordshire (part)[b] | Staffordshire |
Bury | 1889 | Lancashire | 67,870 | Bury MB (part)
|
Greater Manchester |
Canterbury
|
1889 | Kent[a] | 33,155 | Canterbury (part) | Kent |
Cardiff
|
1889 | Glamorgan | 279,046 | Cardiff (part)
|
South Glamorgan |
Carlisle | 1915 | Cumberland | 71,580 | Carlisle (part) | Cumbria |
Chester
|
1889 | Cheshire[a] | 62,923 | Chester (part) | Cheshire |
Coventry
|
1889 | Warwickshire | 335,260 | Coventry MB (part)
|
West Midlands |
Darlington
|
1915 | Durham | 85,916 | Darlington (part)
|
Durham |
Derby
|
1889 | Derbyshire | 219,578 | Derby | Derbyshire |
Dewsbury
|
1913 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 51,354 | Kirklees MB (part)
|
West Yorkshire |
Doncaster
|
1927 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 82,671 | Doncaster MB (part)
|
South Yorkshire |
Dudley | 1889 | Worcestershire to 1966 then Staffordshire |
185,592 | Dudley MB (part)
|
West Midlands |
Eastbourne
|
1911 | Sussex | 70,949 | Eastbourne | East Sussex |
Exeter
|
1889 | Devon[a] | 95,711 | Exeter | Devon |
Gateshead
|
1889 | Durham | 94,464 | Gateshead MB (part)
|
Tyne and Wear |
Gloucester
|
1889 | Gloucestershire[a] | 90,223 | Gloucester | Gloucestershire |
Grimsby
|
1891 | Lincolnshire | 95,502 | Grimsby | Humberside |
Halifax
|
1889 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 91,263 | Calderdale MB (part) | West Yorkshire |
Hartlepool
|
1967 | Durham | 97,082 | Hartlepool (part)
|
Cleveland |
Hastings
|
1889 | Sussex | 72,414 | Hastings | East Sussex |
Huddersfield
|
1889 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 131,188 | Kirklees MB (part) | West Yorkshire |
Ipswich
|
1889 | Suffolk | 123,297 | Ipswich | Suffolk |
Kingston upon Hull
|
1889 | Yorkshire, East Riding[a] | 285,965 | Kingston upon Hull | Humberside |
Leeds | 1889 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 496,036 | Leeds MB (part) | West Yorkshire |
Leicester
|
1889 | Leicestershire | 284,208 | Leicester | Leicestershire |
Lincoln
|
1889 | Lincolnshire[a] | 77,077 (1961) | Lincoln | Lincolnshire |
Liverpool
|
1889 | Lancashire | 610,114 | Liverpool | Merseyside |
Luton
|
1964 | Bedfordshire | 161,400 | Luton | Bedfordshire |
Manchester
|
1889 | Lancashire | 543,741 | Manchester MB (part)
|
Greater Manchester |
Merthyr Tydfil
|
1908 | Glamorgan | 55,283 | Merthyr Tydfil | Mid Glamorgan |
Newcastle upon Tyne
|
1889 | Northumberland[a] | 222,172 | Newcastle upon Tyne MB (part)
|
Tyne and Wear |
Newport
|
1891 | Monmouthshire | 112,298 | Newport
|
Gwent |
Northampton
|
1889 | Northamptonshire | 126,597 | Northampton (part)
|
Northamptonshire |
Nottingham
|
1889 | Nottinghamshire[a] | 300,675 | Nottingham | Nottinghamshire |
Norwich
|
1889 | Norfolk[a] | 122,093 | Norwich | Norfolk |
Oldham | 1889 | Lancashire | 105,922 | Oldham MB (part)
|
Greater Manchester |
Oxford
|
1889 | Oxfordshire | 108,834 | Oxford | Oxfordshire |
Plymouth
|
1889 | Devon | 239,467 | Plymouth | Devon |
Portsmouth
|
1889 | Hampshire | 197,453 | Portsmouth | Hampshire |
Preston | 1889 | Lancashire | 98,091 | Preston (part) | Lancashire |
Reading
|
1889 | Berkshire | 132,978 | Reading | Berkshire |
Rochdale | 1889 | Lancashire | 91,461 | Rochdale MB (part)
|
Greater Manchester |
Rotherham
|
1902 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 84,800 | Rotherham MB (part)
|
South Yorkshire |
St Helens
|
1889 | Lancashire | 104,326 | St Helens MB (part)
|
Merseyside |
Salford | 1889 | Lancashire | 131,006 | Salford MB (part) | Greater Manchester |
Sheffield
|
1889 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 520,308 | Sheffield MB (part) | South Yorkshire |
Solihull
|
1964 | Warwickshire | 107,086 | Solihull MB (part)
|
West Midlands |
Southampton
|
1889 | Hampshire[a] | 215,131 | Southampton | Hampshire |
Southend-on-Sea
|
1914 | Essex | 162,735 | Southend-on-Sea | Essex |
Southport
|
1905 | Lancashire | 84,524 | Sefton MB (part) | Merseyside |
South Shields
|
1889 | Durham | 100,676 | South Tyneside MB (part) | Tyne and Wear |
Stockport | 1889 | Cheshire | 139,598 | Stockport MB (part) | Greater Manchester |
Stoke on Trent
|
1910 | Staffordshire | 265,258 | Stoke-on-Trent | Staffordshire |
Sunderland
|
1889 | Durham | 217,075 | Sunderland MB (part) | Tyne and Wear |
Swansea
|
1889 | Glamorgan | 173,355 | Swansea (part)
|
West Glamorgan |
Teesside | 1968 | Yorkshire, North Riding | 396,233 | Stockton (part) (part)
Langbaurgh |
Cleveland |
Torbay
|
1968 | Devon | 109,260 | Torbay | Devon |
Tynemouth
|
1904 | Northumberland | 69,339 | North Tyneside MB (part) | Tyne and Wear |
Wakefield
|
1915 | Yorkshire, West Riding | 59,591 | Wakefield MB (part) | West Yorkshire |
Wallasey
|
1913 | Cheshire | 97,216 | Wirral MB (part)
|
Merseyside |
Walsall
|
1889 | Staffordshire | 184,734 | Walsall MB (part)
|
West Midlands |
Warley | 1966 | Worcestershire | 163,567 | Sandwell MB (part) | West Midlands |
Warrington | 1900 | Lancashire | 68,322 | Warrington (part) | Cheshire |
West Bromwich
|
1889 | Staffordshire | 166,592 | Sandwell MB (part) | West Midlands |
Wigan | 1889 | Lancashire | 81,144 | Wigan MB (part)
|
Greater Manchester |
Wolverhampton
|
1889 | Staffordshire | 269,112 | Wolverhampton MB | West Midlands |
Worcester
|
1889 | Worcestershire[a] | 73,454 | Worcester (part)
|
Hereford and Worcester |
Yarmouth
|
1889 | Norfolk | 50,236 | Great Yarmouth (part)
|
Norfolk |
York
|
1889 | Yorkshire, West Riding[a] | 104,783 | York | North Yorkshire |
Only four districts with more than one county borough were formed:
Previous county boroughs
County boroughs to be abolished prior to 1974 were:
County borough | County | Created | Abolished | Successor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Croydon | Surrey | 1889 | 1965 | Greater London: London Borough of Croydon |
Devonport
|
Devon | 1889 | 1914 | County Borough of Plymouth
|
East Ham | Essex | 1915 | 1965 | Greater London: London Borough of Newham |
Hanley
|
Staffordshire | 1889 | 1910 | County Borough of Stoke on Trent
|
Middlesbrough
|
Yorkshire, North Riding | 1889 | 1968 | County Borough of Teesside |
Smethwick
|
Staffordshire | 1907 | 1966 | County Borough of Warley |
West Ham | Essex | 1889 | 1965 | Greater London: London Borough of Newham |
West Hartlepool
|
Durham | 1902 | 1967 | County Borough of Hartlepool
|
Northern Ireland
The county boroughs of Belfast and Derry were created by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.
In
For administrative purposes the two county boroughs in Northern Ireland were replaced with two larger districts (Belfast and Londonderry).
Republic of Ireland
The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 created county boroughs in Ireland. Under the Act, four former counties corporate (Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford) became county boroughs.
Galway became a county borough in 1986.
In the Republic of Ireland, the relevant legislation remained in force (although amended), and county boroughs on the original model existed until 2001. Under the Local Government Act 2001 (which replaced most existing local government legislation in Ireland), the term "County Borough" was abolished and replaced with "City" (and hence, "Corporation" with "City Council"). However Kilkenny, while a traditional city, was never a county borough. Under the Local Government Reform Act 2014, the borough of Kilkenny was abolished, but the municipal district containing the administrative area of the former borough of Kilkenny would be known as the Municipal District of Kilkenny City.
See also
- County corporate
- List of administrative counties and county boroughs of England by population in 1971
- London boroughs
- Metropolitan borough
- Municipal borough
References
- ^ Local Government Act, 2001, with particular reference to section 10 (2) and 10 (4) (b). http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAdministration/RHLegislation/FileDownLoad,1963,en.pdf Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Local Government Act 1888, s.31
- ^ Annual Report of the Local Government Board. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1890. p. 324. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
- ^ Census data on population of Merthyr Tydfil
- ^ "No. 34159". The London Gazette. 1 May 1935. p. 3041.
- ^ Report of the Royal Commission on the status of the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil (Cmd.5039)
- ^ Local government in England and Wales during the period of reconstruction (Cmd.6579)
- ^ "No. 37325". The London Gazette. 26 October 1945. p. 5238.
- ^ Report of the Local Government Boundary Commission for the year 1947
- ^ a b Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, Schedule 1, Part II
- ISBN 9780415185837.