1990s United Kingdom local government reform: Difference between revisions

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The structure of [[local government in the United Kingdom]] underwent large changes in the [[1990s]]. The system of two-tier local government introduced in the [[1970s]] by the [[Local Government Act 1972]] and the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]] was abolished in [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]] on [[April 1]], [[1996]], and replaced with [[unitary authorities]]. In [[England]], some areas remained two-tier but many unitary authories were created.

{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}

The structure of [[local government in the United Kingdom]] underwent large changes in the [[1990s]]. The system of two-tier local government introduced in the [[1970s]] by the [[Local Government Act 1972]] and the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]] was abolished in [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]] on [[April 1]], [[April 1996]], and replaced with [[unitarysingle-tier authorities]]. In [[England]], some areas remained two-tier but many unitarysingle-tier authoriesauthorities (designated as Unitary Authorities in England) were created. No changes were made to [[local government in Northern Ireland]].

==Background==

Prior to the 1970s, the UK had had a mixed system of local government, with some areas being covered by a [[county council]] and a more local district council, while large towns had only a single tier of authority (in [[England and Wales]] these were termed [[county borough]]s, and in [[Scotland]] 'counties of cities'). The Acts abolished the existing county boroughs or counties of cities, and created a uniform two-tier system of government with regions or counties, and districts.

In 1986, [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s government abolished the county councils of the six [[metropolitan counties]] that had been created in 1974, along with the [[Greater London Council]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-04-01|title=Thatcher abolishes the GLC: from the archive, 1 April 1986|url=http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2014/apr/01/glc-ken-livingstone-abolished-thatcher|access-date=2021-05-09|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> effectively creating 68 new single-tier authorities: 32 [[London borough]]s and 36 [[metropolitan boroughs]].

Prior to the 1970s, the UK had had a mixed system of local government, with some

areas being covered by a [[county council]] and a more local district council, while large towns had only a single tier of authority (in [[England and Wales]] these were termed [[county borough]]s, and in [[Scotland]] 'counties of cities'). The Acts abolished the existing county boroughs or counties of cities, and created a uniform two-tier system of government with regions or counties, and districts.

In 1990, Thatcher's government introduced the Community Charge, popularly known as the [[Poll tax (Great Britain)|Poll Tax]], a new way of funding local councils based on a fixed per-head fee. This proved very unpopular, and led to [[Poll tax riot|riots]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=1990-03-31|title=1990: Violence flares in poll tax demonstration|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/31/newsid_2530000/2530763.stm|access-date=2021-05-09}}</ref> Eventually, Thatcher was ousted by her own party,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-04-08|title=Thatcher resigns: from the archive, 23 November 1990|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/apr/08/thatcher-resigns-from-archive|access-date=2021-05-09|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> and the new [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] leader and [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], [[John Major]], pledged to abolish the Community Charge.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Whitney|first=Craig R.|last2=Times|first2=Special To the New York|date=1991-03-16|title=British Premier Set to Replace Unpopular Thatcher Poll Tax|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/16/world/british-premier-set-to-replace-unpopular-thatcher-poll-tax.html|access-date=2021-05-09|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

[[Image:EnglandSubdivisions1986.png|thumb|Counties and unitary authorities of England from [[1986]] to [[1995]].]]

Legislation for the [[Council Tax]] was introduced and passed in the [[1991]]/[[1992]] session. Also at this time (opponents have said that it was as as cover), the government took the opportunity to review the structure of local government throughout [[Great Britain]].

In [[1986]], [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s government abolished the county councils of the six [[metropolitan counties]] that had been created in 1974, along with the [[Greater London Council]], effectively creating 68 new 'county boroughs', or [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]].

==England==

In [[1990]], Thatcher's had government introduced the [[Poll Tax]], a new way of funding local councils based on a fixed per-head fee. This proved very unpopular, and led to [[Poll tax riot|riots]]. Eventually, Thatcher was ousted by her own party, and the new [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] leader and [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], [[John Major]], was pledged to abolish the Poll Tax.

{{Main|Local Government Commission for England (1992)}}

The Local Government Commission for England was established under the [[Local Government Act 1992]], allowing the [[Secretary of State for the Environment|Secretary of State]] to order the commission to undertake 'structural reviews' in specified areas, to create [[unitary authority|unitary authorities]] in the two-tier [[shire county|shire counties]]. After much political debate, the commission's proposals resulted in:

Legislation for the [[Council Tax]] was introduced and passed in the [[1991]]/[[1992]] session. Also at this time (opponents have said that it was as as cover), the government took the opportunity to review the structure of local government throughout [[Great Britain]].

*The abolition of the counties of [[Avon (county)|Avon]], [[Cleveland (county)|Cleveland]], [[Hereford and Worcester]] and [[Humberside]], created in 1974

*The replacement of the county council of [[Berkshire]] with six unitary authorities

*New unitary authorities covering many of the larger urban districts of England.

==Scotland==

{{Main|Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994}}

The previous system in [[Scotland]] had been the [[regions of Scotland|regions and districts]]. These were quite unbalanced in terms of population &mdash; the [[Strathclyde]] region had nineteen districts and over two million people, whereas the [[Scottish Borders]] region had four districts and only 100,000 people.

The [[Localprevious Governmentsystem etc.in ([[Scotland) Act 1994]] establishedhad 29been newthe '[[councilLocal government areas of Scotland|council areas]]',1973 andto retained1996|regions the three [[Islandand Councildistricts]]s. These Variancewere inquite population was much lessunbalanced in theterms councilof areas,population with– justthe over[[Strathclyde]] halfregion ahad millionnineteen indistricts theand largestover authority,two [[Citymillion of Glasgow]]people, compared to 50,000 inwhereas the smallest, [[ClackmannanshireScottish Borders|Borders]]. region Thesehad arefour however outliers,districts and only six are outside the range 75100,000 to 250,000people.

The Act established 29 new '[[council areas of Scotland|council areas]]', and retained the three [[Islands council areas of Scotland|Island Council]]s. Variance in population was much less in the council areas, with just over half a million in the largest council area, [[Glasgow City (council area)|Glasgow City]], compared to 50,000 in the smallest on the mainland, [[Clackmannanshire]]. These are however outliers, and only six are outside the range 75,000 to 250,000.

In some cases the names of [[traditional counties of Scotland|historic counties]] were revived, often with vastly modified borders.

In some cases the names of [[traditional counties of Scotland|historictraditional counties]] were revived as administrative areas, although often with vastly modifieddifferent borders.

==Wales==

{{Main|Local Government (Wales) Act 1994}}

In [[Wales]] the existing system was replaced with a new unitarysingle-tier system, of [[subdivisionsLocal ofgovernment in Wales|counties and county boroughs]], the only difference between athem Welshnow countybeing the name (and countythe boroughcouncils nowof beingCardiff, theSwansea nameand Newport are styled as cities).

The [[1974]] reform in Wales had abandoned use of the names of the [[traditional counties of Wales|traditional counties of Wales]]. This was partially reversed in [[1996]], with [[Carmarthenshire]], [[Ceredigion|Cardiganshire]], [[Denbighshire]], [[Flintshire]], [[Monmouthshire]] and [[Pembrokeshire]] all reappearing on maps, although not necessarily with the historic borders.

The pre-1996 counties remained in existence (with modifications) as the [[preserved counties of Wales]] used for purposes such as [[Lord Lieutenant|Lieutenancy]].

==England==

<div style="float:right">

[[Image:EnglandSubdivisions1996.png|thumb|none|[[April 1]], [[1996]] to [[April 1]], [[1997]]]]<br/>

[[Image:EnglandSubdivisions1997.png|thumb|none|[[April 1]], [[1997]] to [[April 1]], [[1998]]]]<br/>

[[Image:EnglandSubdivisions1998.png|thumb|none|[[April 1]], [[1998]] onwards]]<br/>

</div>

The process of reform in [[England]] was greatly different to those in [[Scotland]] or [[Wales]]. [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] passed the [[Local Government Act 1992|Local Government Act]] in [[1992]], allowing the [[Secretary of State for the Environment|Secretary of State]] to order the [[Boundary Commission]] to undertake 'structural reviews' in specified areas.

The Commission, chaired by [[John Banham]], started the reviews in July [[1992]]. The process was originally supposed to be take some years, with the shire counties being considered in five waves, or 'tranches', and it was hoped that the reforms would come into effect from [[1994]] (the first batch) to [[1998]] (the fifth batch). However, the process took longer than expected. The first of tranche of reviews, covering [[County of Avon|Avon]], [[County of Cleveland|Cleveland]], [[County Durham]], [[Gloucestershire]], the [[Isle of Wight]], [[Humberside]], [[Lincolnshire]], [[North Yorkshire]] and [[Somerset]] was nearly done by the end of [[1993]].

In November 1993, the [[Secretary of State for the Environment]], [[John Gummer]] greatly accelerated the program of work. He directed the Commission to start reviews of all remaining shire counties the next month, and that they should be finished by the end of [[1994]]. He also revised the guidance given, making it clear that wholly unitary solutions should be preferred, particularly ones smaller than existing counties but larger than existing districts.

[[Lancashire]] and [[Derbyshire]] County Councils had taken the revised guidance to the [[High Court]], seeking a [[judicial review]] that it was illegal. On [[January 28]], the High Court ruled in their favour, implying that that the Commission should consider retaining the status quo, either in part or wholly, as an option as well.

The first proposal was the quite uncontroversial one to make [[Isle of Wight]] a single unitary authority. The island had been split quite artificially between [[South Wight]] and [[Medina (borough)|Medina]] boroughs, with a Wight County Council, since [[1974]].

From the first tranche, the commission recommended that [[County of Avon|Avon]], [[County of Cleveland|Cleveland]] and [[Humberside]] should be abolished and broken up into four unitary authorities each. It also recommended that the rump [[Somerset]] be broken up into three unitary authorities (overriden by John Gimmer). It suggested that North Yorkshire be split into three unitary authorities - one for [[York]], and two others called [[West Riding of Yorkshire]] and [[North Riding of Yorkshire]]. The latter two were rejected, and so an expanded York became a unitary authority, with the rest of North Yorkshire remaining two-tier. It recommended no change in [[Lincolnshire]] and [[Gloucestershire]].

From the second and later tranches, it recommended [[Buckinghamshire]], [[Bedfordshire]] and [[Berkshire]] county councils to be abolished. Elsewhere, it operated rather inconsistently, with large districts sometimes being recommended for unitary status, but sometimes not. In early [[1995]], soon after the report had been delivered, John Banham resigned as head of the Commission.

The government considered the final report of the Banham Commission. Avon, Cleveland and Humberside were creations of the [[1974]] reform and were unable to stop their abolition. However, in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire it did not accept the recommendations of the Commmission, which was for an entirely unitary structure, and decided to only make [[Luton]] and [[Milton Keynes (borough)|Milton Keynes]] unitary, with the rest of those counties retaining a two-tier structure. The proposal to abolish Berkshire County Council was accepted, however. This had been strongly supported by the County Council earlier, though as implementation drew closer, and the political composition of the Council altered, it changed its mind.

In many counties that were to remain unchanged, the government accepted the Report, with reservations about specific districts. The Environment Secretary referred the cases of twenty-one districts to the new commission, under [[David Cooksey]]. These were [[Basildon (district)|Basildon]], [[Blackburn with Darwen|Blackburn]], [[Blackpool]], [[Broxtowe]], [[Dartford]], [[Exeter]], [[Gedling]], [[Gillingham]], [[Gloucester]], [[Gravesham]], [[Halton (borough)|Halton]], [[Huntingdonshire]], [[Northampton]], [[Norwich]], [[City of Peterborough|Peterborough]], [[Rochester upon Medway]], [[Rushcliffe]], [[Spelthorne]], [[Thurrock]], [[Warrington]], and [[Telford and Wrekin|the Wrekin]]. About half of these were accepted by the Commission, and these changes were were implemented in [[1998]].

===Timetable===

On [[April 1]], [[1995]], the [[Isle of Wight]] became a single unitary authority. It had previously had a two-tier structure with an Isle of Wight County Council; and a [[Medina, England|Medina]] Borough Council and a [[South Wight]] Borough Council. Also on this day, two small areas were ceded from [[Surrey]] and [[Buckinghamshire]] to [[Berkshire]], giving it a border with [[Greater London]].

On [[April 1]], [[1996]], the unpopular counties of [[County of Avon|Avon]], [[Humberside]] and [[Cleveland, England|Cleveland]] were abolished and their districts turned into unitary authorities. Avon became [[Bath and North East Somerset]], [[North Somerset]], [[South Gloucestershire]] and [[Bristol]]. Cleveland's districts merely became unitary authorities directly, without any boundary changes. The part of [[Humberside]] north of the [[River Humber]] and historically part of [[Yorkshire]] became part of the new [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], apart from [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]], which constituted a unitary authority itself. In the Lincolnshire part of Humberside, two new unitary authorities, [[North Lincolnshire]] and [[North East Lincolnshire]], were formed. Also at this time, the [[York|City of York]] was expanded and separated from [[North Yorkshire]].

On [[April 1]], [[1997]], the districts of [[Bournemouth]], [[Darlington]], [[Derby, England|Derby]], [[Leicester]], [[Luton]], [[Milton Keynes (borough)|Milton Keynes]], [[Poole]], [[Portsmouth]], [[Rutland]] and [[Southampton]] became unitary authorities. Also, the districts of [[Brighton]] and [[Hove, England|Hove]] were merged to form the new unitary authority of [[Brighton and Hove]].

On [[April 1]], [[1998]], [[Blackpool]], [[Blackburn with Darwen]], [[Halton (borough)|Halton]], [[Medway]], [[Nottingham]], [[City of Peterborough|Peterborough]], [[Plymouth]], [[Swindon (borough)|Swindon]], [[Stoke-on-Trent]], [[Southend-on-Sea]], [[Telford and Wrekin]], [[Torbay]], [[Thurrock]] and [[Warrington]] became unitary authorities. Also, [[Hereford and Worcester]] was abolished and replaced by the unitary authority of [[Herefordshire]] and the shire county of [[Worcestershire]]. [[Berkshire]] was split into six unitary authorities, but not formally abolished.

===Impact===

In [[County of Avon|Avon]] and [[Humberside]], which were being abolished, the successor unitary authorities were mergers of existing [[Districts of England|districts]]. Apart from these, nearly all the others were created using existing [[Districts of England|district]] boundaries, which had been set in [[1974]]. There was only one expansion ([[York]]) and two mergers - [[Brighton]] and [[Hove]] into [[Brighton and Hove]]), and [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]] and [[Gillingham, Kent|Gillingham]] into [[Medway]].

The [[1974]] reform in Wales had abandoned use of the names of the [[traditionalhistoric counties of Wales|traditional]] countiesas oflocal Wales]]government areas. This was partially reversed in 1996, with [[1996Anglesey]], with [[Carmarthenshire]], [[Ceredigion|Cardiganshire]], [[Denbighshire]], [[Flintshire]], [[Monmouthshire]] and [[Pembrokeshire]] all reappearing onas mapslocal government areas, although not necessarily with thetheir historictraditional borders.

Some quite large districts that had been historic county boroughs were not granted unitary status. The largest of these was [[Northampton]], with a population of about 200,000.

The pre-1996names and areas of the administrative counties abolished in 1996 remained in existenceuse (with modifications) as the [[preserved counties of Wales]] used for purposes such as [[Lord Lieutenant|Lieutenancy]].

The local government reform did not affect [[British Police|police force areas]], or fire and rescue service areas.

== References ==

The [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial counties]] were also affected by this reform. Avon, Humberside and Cleveland were abolished for ceremonial purposes. In Avon, the parts were allocated to their original [[Somerset]] and [[Gloucestershire]], with [[Bristol]] being restored as a ceremonial county in its own right. Cleveland was simply partitioned between [[County Durham]] and [[North Yorkshire]]. Humberside was split between [[Lincolnshire]] and the new ceremonial [[East Riding of Yorkshire]] (including Hull). [[Herefordshire]], [[Rutland]], and [[Worcestershire]] were also restored as ceremonial counties.

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1990s Uk Local Government Reform}}

==External links==

[[Category:1990s in the United Kingdom|Local government]]

*[http://www.psa.ac.uk/cps/1996/stok.pdf The experience in West Sussex] - [[Portable Document Format|PDF]]

[[Category:Local government in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:Reform in the United Kingdom]]