Everything about County Borough totally explained
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (excluding
Scotland), to refer to a
borough or a
city independent of
county council control. The
Local Government Act 1972 abolished them in
England and
Wales, but they're still used in the
Republic of Ireland and
Northern Ireland. The
Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 re-introduced the term for certain "
principal areas" in Wales.
Scotland didn't have county boroughs but instead
counties of cities. These were abolished on
May 16,
1975. All four
Scottish cities of the time —
Aberdeen,
Dundee,
Edinburgh, and
Glasgow — were included in this category. There was an additional category of
large burgh in the Scottish system, which were responsible for all services apart from police, education and fire.
England and Wales
History
Creation
When
county councils were first created in 1889, it was decided that to let them have authority over large towns or cities would be impractical, and so any large incorporated place would have the right to be a county borough, and thus independent from the
administrative county it would otherwise come under. Originally 10 county boroughs were proposed, but the
Local Government Act 1888 as eventually passed created 61 in England, and two in Wales. (The ten in question were
Birmingham,
Bradford,
Bristol,
Hull,
Leeds,
Liverpool,
Manchester,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Nottingham and
Sheffield.)
Initially, a town had to have a population of over 50,000 to apply to be made a county borough. The granting of county borough status was a subject of much argument between the large
municipal boroughs and the county councils. Additionally, county borough borders were tightly constrained because of county council reluctance to give up their tax base. Several exceptions were allowed: mainly for historic county towns:
Bath,
Canterbury,
Chester,
Dudley,
Gloucester,
Oxford and
Worcester were all under the 50,000 limit in the 1901 census (Canterbury even under 25,000). Various new county boroughs were constituted in the following decades as more boroughs reached the 50,000 minimum and then promoted Acts to constitute them county boroughs. County boroughs to be constituted in this era were a mixed bag, including some towns that would continue to expand such as
Bournemouth and
Southend-on-Sea. Other towns such as
Burton upon Trent and
Dewsbury were not to not increase in population much past 50,000.
1913 saw the attempts of
Luton and
Cambridge to gain county borough status defeated in the
House of Commons, despite the approval of the
Local Government Board — the removal of Cambridge from Cambridgeshire would have reduced the income of Cambridgeshire County Council by over half.
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. 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". 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.
After the
Second World War the creation of new county boroughs in
England and Wales was effectively suspended, pending a local government review. A government
white paper published in 1945 stated that
"it is expected that there will be a number of Bills for extending or creating county boroughs" and proposed the creation of a boundary commission to bring coordination to local government reform. The policy in the paper also ruled out the creation of new county boroughs in
Middlesex "owing to its special problems". The
Local Government Boundary Commission was appointed on
26 October,
1945, under the chairmanship of Sir
Malcolm Trustram Eve, delivering its report in 1947. 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 wasn't acted upon.
Partial reform
The next attempt at reform was by the Local Government Act 1958, which established the
Local Government Commission for England and the
Local Government Commission for Wales to carry out reviews of existing local government structures and recommend reforms. Although the Commissions didn't complete their work before being dissolved, a handful of new county boroughs were constituted between 1964 and 1968.
Luton,
Torbay, and
Solihull gained county borough status. Additionally,
Teesside county borough was formed from the merger of the existing county borough of
Middlesbrough, and the non-county boroughs of
Stockton-on-Tees and
Redcar;
Warley was formed from the county borough of
Smethwick and the non-county boroughs of
Oldbury and
Rowley Regis; and
West Hartlepool was merged with
Hartlepool. Following these changes, there was a total of 79 county boroughs in England. The Commission also recommended the downgrading of
Barnsley to be a non-county borough, but this wasn't carried out.
Abolition
The county boroughs of
East Ham,
West Ham and
Croydon were abolished in 1965 with the creation of
Greater London and went on to form parts of
London boroughs. The remaining county boroughs were abolished in 1974 under the
Local Government Act 1972, and replaced with
non-metropolitan districts and
metropolitan districts, all beneath
county councils in a two-tier structure. In Greater London and the metropolitan counties the lower tier districts retained a wider range of powers than in the non-metropolitan counties.
Revival
This situation didn't persist long. In 1986 the metropolitan county councils and the GLC were abolished, returning the boroughs to a county borough status, sharing some powers (police and transport for example). In the 1990s most of the old county boroughs were reformed again as
unitary authorities — essentially the same as a county borough. In England, most of those former county boroughs that didn't gain unitary authority status —
Barrow-in-Furness,
Burnley,
Canterbury,
Carlisle,
Chester,
Eastbourne,
Exeter,
Gloucester,
Hastings,
Lincoln,
Northampton,
Oxford,
Preston,
Worcester, and
Yarmouth — have given their names to non-unitary
local government districts (in some cases coterminous with the old county borough, in other cases much larger).
Burton upon Trent became an unparished area in the
East Staffordshire borough, and has now been divided into several parishes.
In Wales, several Principal Areas are called county boroughs:
(
Newport was a made a county borough again in 1996. In 2002 it acquired
city status.)
For all practical purposes, county boroughs are exactly the same as the other
principal areas of Wales called "
counties" or "
cities" as all these areas are run by
unitary authorities (for example: have the functions of both
boroughs and counties).
County boroughs in 1973
The map depicts the county boroughs in England immediately prior to their abolition in 1974. County boroughs in Wales and Monmouthshire 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 |
| Barrow-in-Furness (10) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
64,039 |
Barrow (part) |
Cumbria |
| Barnsley (36) |
1913 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
75,439 |
Barnsley MB (part) |
South Yorkshire |
| Bath (68) |
1889 |
Somerset |
84,686 |
Bath |
Avon |
| Birkenhead (28) |
1889 |
Cheshire |
137,889 |
Wirral MB (part) |
Merseyside |
| Birmingham (55) |
1889 |
Warwickshire |
1,014,773 |
Birmingham MD (most) |
West Midlands |
| Blackburn (13) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
101,802 |
Blackburn (part) |
Lancashire |
| Blackpool (11) |
1904 |
Lancashire |
151,871 |
Blackpool |
Lancashire |
| Bolton (19) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
154,223 |
Bolton MB (part) |
Greater Manchester |
| Bootle (16) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
74,304 |
Sefton MB (part) |
Merseyside |
| Bournemouth (73) |
1900 |
Hampshire |
153,861 |
Bournemouth |
Dorset |
| Bradford (31) |
1889 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
294,164 |
Bradford MB (part) |
West Yorkshire |
| Brighton (77) |
1889 |
Sussex |
161,350 |
Brighton |
East Sussex |
| Bristol (67) |
1889 |
Gloucestershire |
426,653 |
Bristol |
Avon |
| Burnley (14) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
76,489 |
Burnley (part) |
Lancashire |
| Burton upon Trent (49) |
1901 |
Staffordshire |
50,211 |
East Staffordshire (part) † |
Staffordshire |
| Bury (20) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
67,870 |
Bury MB (part) |
Greater Manchester |
| Canterbury (72) |
1889 |
Kent |
33,155 |
Canterbury (part) |
Kent |
| Cardiff |
1889 |
Glamorgan |
279,046 |
Cardiff (part) |
South Glamorgan |
| Carlisle (9) |
1915 |
Cumberland |
71,580 |
Carlisle (part) |
Cumbria |
| Chester (43) |
1889 |
Cheshire |
62,923 |
Chester (part) |
Cheshire |
| Coventry (57) |
1889 |
Warwickshire |
335,260 |
Coventry MB |
West Midlands |
| Darlington (8) |
1915 |
Durham |
85,916 |
Darlington (part) |
Durham |
| Derby (45) |
1889 |
Derbyshire |
219,578 |
Derby |
Derbyshire |
| Dewsbury (34) |
1913 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
51,354 |
Kirklees MB (part) |
West Yorkshire |
| Doncaster (37) |
1927 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
82,671 |
Doncaster MB (part) |
South Yorkshire |
| Dudley (52) |
1889 |
Worcestershire to 1966
then Staffordshire |
185,592 |
Dudley MB (part) |
West Midlands |
| Eastbourne (78) |
1911 |
Sussex |
70,949 |
Eastbourne |
East Sussex |
| Exeter (69) |
1889 |
Devon |
95,711 |
Exeter |
Devon |
| Gateshead (3) |
1889 |
Durham |
94,464 |
Gateshead MB |
Tyne and Wear |
| Gloucester (65) |
1889 |
Gloucestershire |
90,223 |
Gloucester |
Gloucestershire |
| Grimsby (42) |
1891 |
Lincolnshire |
95,502 |
Grimsby |
Humberside |
| Halifax (30) |
1889 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
91,263 |
Calderdale MB (part) |
West Yorkshire |
| Hartlepool (6) |
1967 |
Durham |
97,082 |
Hartlepool (part) |
Cleveland |
| Hastings (79) |
1889 |
Sussex |
72,414 |
Hastings |
East Sussex |
| Huddersfield (33) |
1889 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
131,188 |
Kirklees MB (part) |
West Yorkshire |
| Hull (41) |
1889 |
Yorkshire, East Riding |
285,965 |
Hull |
Humberside |
| Ipswich (61) |
1889 |
Suffolk |
123,297 |
Ipswich |
Suffolk |
| Leeds (32) |
1889 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
496,036 |
Leeds MB (part) |
West Yorkshire |
| Leicester (46) |
1889 |
Leicestershire |
284,208 |
Leicester |
Leicestershire |
| Lincoln (47) |
1889 |
Lincolnshire |
77,077 (1961) |
Lincoln |
Lincolnshire |
| Liverpool (27) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
610,114 |
Liverpool |
Merseyside |
| Luton (63) |
1964 |
Bedfordshire |
161,400 |
Luton |
Bedfordshire |
| Manchester (25) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
543,741 |
Manchester MB (most) |
Greater Manchester |
| Merthyr Tydfil |
1908 |
Glamorgan |
55,283 |
Merthyr Tydfil |
Mid Glamorgan |
| Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1) |
1889 |
Northumberland |
222,172 |
Newcastle upon Tyne MB (part) |
Tyne and Wear |
| Newport |
1891 |
Monmouthshire |
112,298 |
Newport |
Gwent |
| Northampton (58) |
1889 |
Northamptonshire |
126,597 |
Northampton (part) |
Northamptonshire |
| Nottingham (46) |
1889 |
Nottinghamshire |
300,675 |
Nottingham |
Nottinghamshire |
| Norwich (59) |
1889 |
Norfolk |
122,093 |
Norwich |
Norfolk |
| Oldham CB (22) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
105,922 |
Oldham MB (part) |
Greater Manchester |
| Oxford (64) |
1889 |
Oxfordshire |
108,834 |
Oxford |
Oxfordshire |
| Plymouth (70) |
1889 |
Devon |
239,467 |
Plymouth |
Devon |
| Portsmouth (75) |
1889 |
Hampshire |
197,453 |
Portsmouth |
Hampshire |
| Preston (12) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
98,091 |
Preston (part) |
Lancashire |
| Reading (76) |
1889 |
Berkshire |
132,978 |
Reading |
Berkshire |
| Rochdale (21) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
91,461 |
Rochdale MB (part) |
Greater Manchester |
| Rotherham (38) |
1902 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
84,800 |
Rotherham MB (part) |
South Yorkshire |
| St Helens (17) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
104,326 |
St Helens MB (part) |
Merseyside |
| Salford (24) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
131,006 |
Salford MB (part) |
Greater Manchester |
| Sheffield (39) |
1889 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
520,308 |
Sheffield MB (part) |
South Yorkshire |
| Solihull (56) |
1964 |
Warwickshire |
107,086 |
Solihull MB (part) |
West Midlands |
| Southampton (74) |
1889 |
Hampshire |
215,131 |
Southampton |
Hampshire |
| Southend-on-Sea (62) |
1914 |
Essex |
162,735 |
Southend-on-Sea |
Essex |
| Southport (15) |
1905 |
Lancashire |
84,524 |
Sefton MB (part) |
Merseyside |
| South Shields (4) |
1889 |
Durham |
100,676 |
South Tyneside MB (part) |
Tyne and Wear |
| Stockport (26) |
1889 |
Cheshire |
139,598 |
Stockport MB (part) |
Greater Manchester |
| Stoke-on-Trent (44) |
1910 |
Staffordshire |
265,258 |
Stoke-on-Trent |
Staffordshire |
| Sunderland (5) |
1889 |
Durham |
217,075 |
Sunderland MB (part) |
Tyne and Wear |
| Swansea |
1889 |
Glamorgan |
|
Swansea (part) |
West Glamorgan |
| Teesside (7) |
1968 |
Yorkshire, North Riding |
396,233 |
Middlesbrough
Stockton (part)
Langbaurgh (part) |
Cleveland |
| Torbay (71) |
1968 |
Devon |
109,260 |
Torbay |
Devon |
| Tynemouth (2) |
1904 |
Northumberland |
69,339 |
North Tyneside MB (part) |
Tyne and Wear |
| Wakefield (35) |
1915 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
59,591 |
Wakefield MB (part) |
West Yorkshire |
| Wallasey (29) |
1913 |
Cheshire |
97,216 |
Wirral MB (part) |
Merseyside |
| Walsall (50) |
1889 |
Staffordshire |
184,734 |
Walsall MB (part) |
West Midlands |
| Warley CB (54) |
1966 |
Worcestershire |
163,567 |
Sandwell MB (part) |
West Midlands |
| Warrington (23) |
1900 |
Lancashire |
68,322 |
Warrington (part) |
Cheshire |
| West Bromwich (53) |
1889 |
Staffordshire |
166,592 |
Sandwell MB (part) |
West Midlands |
| Wigan (18) |
1889 |
Lancashire |
81,144 |
Wigan MB (part) |
Greater Manchester |
| Wolverhampton (51) |
1889 |
Staffordshire |
269,112 |
Wolverhampton MB |
West Midlands |
| Worcester (66) |
1889 |
Worcestershire |
73,454 |
Worcester (most) |
Hereford and Worcester |
| Yarmouth (60) |
1889 |
Norfolk |
50,236 |
Great Yarmouth (part) |
Norfolk |
| York (40) |
1889 |
Yorkshire, West Riding |
104,783 |
York |
North Yorkshire |
† had
Charter Trustees
Only four districts with more than one county borough were formed:
Wirral,
Sandwell,
Sefton and
Kirklees. Elsewhere, county boroughs usually formed the core or all of a district named after the county borough - with the exceptions of Halifax, whose metropolitan district was named
Calderdale, Burton upon Trent, which became part of the East Staffordshire district, and Teesside, which was split up between three non-metropolitan districts.
Previous county boroughs
County boroughs to be abolished prior to 1974 were:
Northern Ireland
In
Northern Ireland, local government hasn't used them since 1973, but the county boroughs remain in use for
Lieutenancy.
The two county boroughs in Northern Ireland were replaced with two larger districts (
Belfast and
Derry), are only in use for Lieutenancy.
Belfast
Londonderry
Republic of Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, county boroughs have been renamed 'cities', and their corporations become 'city councils'.
Cork
Dublin
Galway since 1986
Limerick
Waterford
In the Republic of Ireland, the relevant legislation remained still 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 city, is instead administered as a town (and part of the county council area) for local government purposes. It is allowed to use the title "Borough Council" instead of "Town Council" however.
Further Information
Get more info on 'County Borough'.
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