A non-metropolitan county, or colloquially, shire county, is a subdivision of England used for local government.
| Non-metropolitan county | |
|---|---|
| |
 Non-metropolitan counties | |
| Category | Counties |
| Location | England |
| Found in | Regions Combined authority areas |
| Created by | Local Government Act 1972 |
| Created |
|
| Number | 78 (as of 1 April 2023) |
| Possible types |
|
| Possible status |
|
| Populations | 300,000–1.4 million |
| Subdivisions |
|
The non-metropolitan counties were originally created in 1974 as part of a reform of local government in England and Wales, and were the top tier of a two-tier system of counties and districts. 21 non-metropolitan counties still use a two-tier system; 56 are unitary authorities, in which the functions of a county and district council have been combined in a single body. Berkshire has a unique structure.
Non-metropolitan counties cover the majority of England with the exception of Greater London, the Isles of Scilly, and the six metropolitan counties: Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands and West Yorkshire.
The non-metropolitan counties are all part of ceremonial counties. Some ceremonial counties, such as Norfolk, contain a single non-metropolitan county, but many contain more than one and it is also common for ceremonial counties and non-metropolitan counties to share a name. Lancashire, for example, contains the non-metropolitan counties of Lancashire, Blackpool, and Blackburn with Darwen.
Origins
Prior to 1974 local government had been divided between single-tier county boroughs (the largest towns and cities) and two-tier administrative counties which were subdivided into municipal boroughs and urban and rural districts. The Local Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974, divided England outside Greater London and the six largest conurbations into thirty-nine non-metropolitan counties. Each county was divided into anywhere between two and fourteen non-metropolitan districts. There was a uniform two-tier system of local government with county councils dealing with "wide-area" services such as education, fire services and the police, and district councils exercising more local powers over areas such as planning, housing and refuse collection.
| Service | Non-metropolitan county | Non-metropolitan district | Unitary authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education |  | | |
| Housing | | | |
| Planning applications | | | |
| Strategic planning | | | |
| Transport planning | | | |
| Passenger transport | | | |
| Highways | | | |
| Fire | | | |
| Social services | | | |
| Libraries | | | |
| Leisure and recreation | | | |
| Waste collection | | | |
| Waste disposal | | | |
| Environmental health | | | |
| Revenue collection | | |
As originally constituted, the non-metropolitan counties were largely based on existing counties, although they did include a number of innovations. Some counties were based on areas surrounding large county boroughs or were formed by the mergers of smaller counties. Examples of the first category are Avon (based on Bath and Bristol) and Cleveland (based on Teesside). An example of the second category is Cumbria, formed by the merger between Cumberland and Westmorland. The counties were adopted for all statutory purposes: a lord-lieutenant and high sheriff was appointed to each county, and they were also used for judicial administration, and definition of police force areas. The Royal Mail adopted the counties for postal purposes in most areas.
Changes
1995–1998
A Local Government Commission was appointed in 1992 to review the administrative structure of the non-metropolitan counties. It was anticipated that a system of unitary authorities would entirely replace the two-tier system. The Commission faced competing claims from former county boroughs wishing to regain unitary status and advocates for the restoration of such small counties as Herefordshire and Rutland. The review led to the introduction of unitary local government in some areas but not in others. In the majority of unitary authorities an existing district council took over powers from the county council. The 1972 Act required that all areas outside Greater London form part of a non-metropolitan county, and that all such counties should contain at least one district. Accordingly, the statutory instruments that effected the reorganisation separated the unitary districts from the county in which they were situated and constituted them as counties. The orders also provided that the provisions of the 1972 Act that every county should have a county council should not apply in the new counties, with the district council exercising the powers of the county council.
An exception was made in the case of Berkshire, which was retained with its existing boundaries in spite of the abolition of its county council and the creation of six unitary authorities. This was done in order to preserve its status as a royal county.
With the creation of numerous new non-metropolitan counties, the areas used for lieutenancy and shrievalty began to diverge from local government areas. This led to the development of ceremonial counties for these purposes, a fact recognised by the Lieutenancies Act 1997.
2009
A further wave of unitary authorities were created in 2009 under the terms of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. While a number of new counties were created, several of the new authorities (such as Cornwall or Northumberland) continued to have the boundaries set in 1974.
2019–2023
The 2019–2023 structural changes to local government in England have involved changes to the non-metropolitan county of Dorset (2019), and the abolition of the non-metropolitan counties Northamptonshire (2021) and Cumbria (2023). In addition, the non-metropolitan counties of Buckinghamshire (2020), North Yorkshire (2023), and Somerset (2023) are unchanged, but their councils became unitary authorities as the existing non-metropolitan districts in these areas were consolidated and the district councils abolished.
List of non-metropolitan counties
The following list shows the original thirty-nine counties formed in 1974, subsequent changes in the 1990s, and further changes since then.
- Current
- Planned abolition
- Abolished non-metropolitan county
- Abolished non-metropolitan county and associated ceremonial county
| Non-metropolitan county 1974 | Changes 1995–1998 | Changes 2009 | Changes 2019 and 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avon (6 districts) | 1996: North West Somerset (unitary) 2005: Renamed North Somerset | None | None |
| 1996: Bath and North East Somerset (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1996: South Gloucestershire (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1996: City of Bristol (unitary) | None | None | |
| Bedfordshire (4 districts) | 1997: Bedfordshire (3 districts) | Bedford (unitary) | None |
| Central Bedfordshire (unitary) | None | ||
| 1997: Luton (unitary) | None | None | |
| Berkshire (Royal County) (6 districts) | 1998: The county council was abolished, with each of the six district councils in the county becoming unitary authorities. The Royal County of Berkshire was not abolished. | None | None |
| Buckinghamshire (5 districts) | 1997: Buckinghamshire (4 districts) | None | 2020: Buckinghamshire (unitary) |
| 1997: Milton Keynes (unitary) | None | None | |
| Cambridgeshire (6 districts) | 1998: Cambridgeshire (5 districts) | None | None |
| 1998: Peterborough (unitary) | None | ||
| Cheshire (8 districts) | 1998: Cheshire (6 districts) | Cheshire East (unitary) | None |
| Cheshire West and Chester (unitary) | None | ||
| 1998: Halton (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1998: Warrington (unitary) | None | None | |
| Cleveland (4 districts) | 1996: Hartlepool (unitary) | None | None |
| 1996: Middlesbrough (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1996: Redcar and Cleveland (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1996: Stockton-on-Tees (unitary) | None | None | |
| Cornwall (6 districts) | None | Became unitary | None |
| Cumbria (6 districts) | None | None | 2023: Cumberland (unitary) |
| 2023: Westmorland and Furness (unitary) | |||
| Derbyshire (9 districts) | 1997: Derby (unitary) | None | None |
| 1997: Derbyshire (8 districts) | None | None | |
| Devon (10 districts) | 1998: Devon (8 districts) | None | None |
| 1998: Torbay (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1998: Plymouth (unitary) | None | None | |
| Dorset (8 districts) | 1997: Dorset (6 districts) | None | 2019: Dorset (a unitary from 5 districts) |
| 1997: Bournemouth (unitary) | None | 2019: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (unitary from 2 unitaries and Christchurch district) | |
| 1997: Poole (unitary) | None | ||
| Durham (8 districts) | 1997: Durham (7 districts) | Became unitary | None |
| 1997: Darlington (unitary) | None | None | |
| East Sussex (7 districts) | 1997: East Sussex (5 districts) | None | None |
| 1997: Brighton and Hove (unitary) | None | None | |
| Essex (14 districts) | 1998: Essex (12 districts) | None | None |
| 1998: Southend-on-Sea (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1998: Thurrock (unitary) | None | None | |
| Gloucestershire (6 districts) | None | None | None |
| Hampshire (13 districts) | 1997: Hampshire (11 districts) | None | None |
| 1997: Portsmouth (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1997: Southampton (unitary) | None | None | |
| Hereford and Worcester (9 districts) | 1998: Herefordshire (unitary) | None | None |
| 1998: Worcestershire (6 districts) | None | None | |
| Hertfordshire (10 districts) | None | None | None |
| Humberside (9 districts) | 1996: East Riding of Yorkshire (unitary) | None | None |
| 1996: City of Kingston upon Hull (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1996: North Lincolnshire (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1996: North East Lincolnshire (unitary) | None | None | |
| Isle of Wight (2 districts) | 1995: Became unitary | None | None |
| Kent (14 districts) | 1998: Kent (12 districts) | None | None |
| 1998: The Medway Towns (unitary) 1998: renamed Medway | None | None | |
| Lancashire (14 districts) | 1998: Lancashire (12 districts) | None | None |
| 1998: Blackburn with Darwen (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1998: Blackpool (unitary) | None | None | |
| Leicestershire (9 districts) | 1997: Leicestershire (7 districts) | None | None |
| 1997: Leicester (unitary) | None | None | |
| 1997: Rutland (unitary) | None | None | |
| Lincolnshire (7 districts) | None | None | None |
| Norfolk (7 districts) | None | None | None |
| North Yorkshire (8 districts) | 1996: North Yorkshire (7 districts) | None | 2023: North Yorkshire (unitary) |
| 1996: York (unitary) | None | None | |
| Northamptonshire (7 districts) | None | None | 2021: North Northamptonshire (unitary) |
| 2021: West Northamptonshire (unitary) | |||
| Northumberland (6 districts) | None | Became unitary | None |
| Nottinghamshire (8 districts) | 1998: Nottinghamshire (7 districts) | None | None |
| 1998: Nottingham (unitary) | None | None | |
| Oxfordshire (5 districts) | None | None | None |
| Salop (6 districts) 1980: renamed Shropshire | 1998: Shropshire (5 districts) | Became unitary | None |
| 1998: The Wrekin (unitary) 1998: Renamed Telford and Wrekin | None | None | |
| Somerset (5 districts) | None | None | 2019: Somerset (4 districts through merger) 2023: Somerset (unitary) |
| Staffordshire (9 districts) | 1997: Staffordshire (8 districts) | None | None |
| 1997: Stoke-on-Trent (unitary) | None | None | |
| Suffolk (7 districts) | None | None | 2019: Suffolk (5 districts through mergers) |
| Surrey (11 districts) | None | None | None |
| Warwickshire (5 districts) | None | None | None |
| West Sussex (7 districts) | None | None | None |
| Wiltshire (5 districts) | 1997: Wiltshire (4 districts) | Became unitary | None |
| 1997: Thamesdown (unitary) 1997: Renamed Swindon | None | None |
Wales
In Wales there was no distinction between metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties: all upper tier areas were designated "counties". The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 amended the 1972 Act, abolishing the Welsh counties and creating instead new Welsh principal areas, some of which are also designated "counties". For the purposes of lieutenancy the counties constituted in 1974 were preserved.
See also
- ISO 3166-2:GB, subdivision codes for the United Kingdom
- Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom#County councils
Notes
- There are 62 unitary authority areas in total, but six of them (in Berkshire) are not counties
- Avon, as a non-metropolitan county, was abolished in 1996, in accordance with Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995.
- The name of the non-metropolitan district and district council was changed to "North Somerset" by resolution of the council 11 July 1995. However this did not change the name of the county which had the same area. The Local Government Changes for England (Miscellaneous Provision) Regulations 1995 gave district councils in a "county for which there is no county council and in which there is not more than one district" the additional power to change the name of the county. This was, however, not done until 2005.
References
- "A Beginners Guide to UK Geography (2023)". Open Geography Portal. Office for National Statistics. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
The 25 non-metropolitan (shire) counties form the upper tier of the two-tier local government structure found in many parts of England. The lower tier of the structure is the non-metropolitan districts.
- Davis, Howard (1997) 'Reviewing the review', Local Government Studies, 23:3, 5 - 17
- Local Government Act 1972 (c.70), S.1(1)
- Hansard, Written Answers, 31 March 1995, col.830
- Local Government Act 1972 (c.70), Schedule I, Part II
- "Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "Agendas, Minutes and Reports". 1 August 2009. Archived from the original on 1 August 2009.
- "The Bedfordshire (Borough of Luton) (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Bedfordshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- Non-metropolitan county of Berkshire was granted royal status by letters patent in 1974
- "The Berkshire (Structural Change) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- The Buckinghamshire (Borough of Milton Keynes) (Structural Changes) Order 1995
- "The Cambridgeshire (City of Peterborough) (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Cheshire (Boroughs of Halton and Warrington) (Structural Change) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Cheshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Cleveland Further (Provision Order) 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Cornwall (Structural Change) Order 2008". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Derbyshire (City of Derby) (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- The Devon (City of Plymouth and Borough of Torbay) (Structural Change) Order 1996
- "The Dorset (Boroughs of Poole and Bournemouth) (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order 2018". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- "The Durham (Borough of Darlington) (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The County Durham (Structural Change) Order 2008". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The East Sussex (Boroughs of Brighton and Hove) (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Essex (Boroughs of Colchester, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock and District of Tendring) (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Hampshire (Cities of Portsmouth and Southampton) (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Hereford and Worcester (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Humberside (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Isle of Wight (Structural Change) Order 1994". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Kent (Borough of Gillingham and City of Rochester upon Medway) (Structural Change) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Lancashire (Boroughs of Blackburn and Blackpool) (Structural Change) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Leicestershire (City of Leicester and District of Rutland) (Structural Change) Order 1996 (legislation.gov.uk website), accessed 2012-09-13".[permanent dead link]
- "The North Yorkshire (District of York) (Structural and Boundary Changes) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Northumberland (Structural Change) Order 2008". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Nottinghamshire (City of Nottingham) (Structural Change) Order 1996 (legislation.gov.uk website), accessed 2012-09-13". Legislation.gov.uk. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Shropshire (District of The Wrekin) (Structural Change) Order 1996". Legislation.gov.uk. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Shropshire (Structural Change) Order 2008". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Somerset West and Taunton (Local Government Changes) Order 2018". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- "The Staffordshire (City of Stoke-on-Trent) (Structural and Boundary Changes) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The West Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- "The East Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- "The Wiltshire (Borough of Thamesdown) (Structural Change) Order 1995". Legislation.gov.uk. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- "The Wiltshire (Structural Change) Order 2008". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- Arnold-Baker, C., Local Government Act 1972, (1973)
External links
- Map of the UK counties and unitary administrations
- Map of all UK local authorities
A non metropolitan county or colloquially shire county is a subdivision of England used for local government Non metropolitan countyAlso known as Shire countyNon metropolitan countiesCategoryCountiesLocationEnglandFound inRegions Combined authority areasCreated byLocal Government Act 1972Created1 April 1974Number78 as of 1 April 2023 Possible types Two tier 21 Single tier unitary authority 56 Royal county of 6 single tier unitary authorities 1 Possible statusBoroughCityRoyal countyPopulations300 000 1 4 millionSubdivisionsNon metropolitan district The non metropolitan counties were originally created in 1974 as part of a reform of local government in England and Wales and were the top tier of a two tier system of counties and districts 21 non metropolitan counties still use a two tier system 56 are unitary authorities in which the functions of a county and district council have been combined in a single body Berkshire has a unique structure Non metropolitan counties cover the majority of England with the exception of Greater London the Isles of Scilly and the six metropolitan counties Greater Manchester Merseyside South Yorkshire Tyne and Wear West Midlands and West Yorkshire The non metropolitan counties are all part of ceremonial counties Some ceremonial counties such as Norfolk contain a single non metropolitan county but many contain more than one and it is also common for ceremonial counties and non metropolitan counties to share a name Lancashire for example contains the non metropolitan counties of Lancashire Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen OriginsPrior to 1974 local government had been divided between single tier county boroughs the largest towns and cities and two tier administrative counties which were subdivided into municipal boroughs and urban and rural districts The Local Government Act 1972 which came into effect on 1 April 1974 divided England outside Greater London and the six largest conurbations into thirty nine non metropolitan counties Each county was divided into anywhere between two and fourteen non metropolitan districts There was a uniform two tier system of local government with county councils dealing with wide area services such as education fire services and the police and district councils exercising more local powers over areas such as planning housing and refuse collection Service Non metropolitan county Non metropolitan district Unitary authorityEducation Y YHousing Y YPlanning applications Y YStrategic planning Y YTransport planning Y YPassenger transport Y YHighways Y YFire Y YSocial services Y YLibraries Y YLeisure and recreation Y YWaste collection Y YWaste disposal Y YEnvironmental health Y YRevenue collection Y Y As originally constituted the non metropolitan counties were largely based on existing counties although they did include a number of innovations Some counties were based on areas surrounding large county boroughs or were formed by the mergers of smaller counties Examples of the first category are Avon based on Bath and Bristol and Cleveland based on Teesside An example of the second category is Cumbria formed by the merger between Cumberland and Westmorland The counties were adopted for all statutory purposes a lord lieutenant and high sheriff was appointed to each county and they were also used for judicial administration and definition of police force areas The Royal Mail adopted the counties for postal purposes in most areas Changes1995 1998 A Local Government Commission was appointed in 1992 to review the administrative structure of the non metropolitan counties It was anticipated that a system of unitary authorities would entirely replace the two tier system The Commission faced competing claims from former county boroughs wishing to regain unitary status and advocates for the restoration of such small counties as Herefordshire and Rutland The review led to the introduction of unitary local government in some areas but not in others In the majority of unitary authorities an existing district council took over powers from the county council The 1972 Act required that all areas outside Greater London form part of a non metropolitan county and that all such counties should contain at least one district Accordingly the statutory instruments that effected the reorganisation separated the unitary districts from the county in which they were situated and constituted them as counties The orders also provided that the provisions of the 1972 Act that every county should have a county council should not apply in the new counties with the district council exercising the powers of the county council An exception was made in the case of Berkshire which was retained with its existing boundaries in spite of the abolition of its county council and the creation of six unitary authorities This was done in order to preserve its status as a royal county With the creation of numerous new non metropolitan counties the areas used for lieutenancy and shrievalty began to diverge from local government areas This led to the development of ceremonial counties for these purposes a fact recognised by the Lieutenancies Act 1997 2009 A further wave of unitary authorities were created in 2009 under the terms of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 While a number of new counties were created several of the new authorities such as Cornwall or Northumberland continued to have the boundaries set in 1974 2019 2023 The 2019 2023 structural changes to local government in England have involved changes to the non metropolitan county of Dorset 2019 and the abolition of the non metropolitan counties Northamptonshire 2021 and Cumbria 2023 In addition the non metropolitan counties of Buckinghamshire 2020 North Yorkshire 2023 and Somerset 2023 are unchanged but their councils became unitary authorities as the existing non metropolitan districts in these areas were consolidated and the district councils abolished List of non metropolitan countiesThe following list shows the original thirty nine counties formed in 1974 subsequent changes in the 1990s and further changes since then Current Planned abolition Abolished non metropolitan county Abolished non metropolitan county and associated ceremonial countyNon metropolitan county 1974 Changes 1995 1998 Changes 2009 Changes 2019 and 2020sAvon 6 districts 1996 North West Somerset unitary 2005 Renamed North Somerset None None1996 Bath and North East Somerset unitary None None1996 South Gloucestershire unitary None None1996 City of Bristol unitary None NoneBedfordshire 4 districts 1997 Bedfordshire 3 districts Bedford unitary NoneCentral Bedfordshire unitary None1997 Luton unitary None NoneBerkshire Royal County 6 districts 1998 The county council was abolished with each of the six district councils in the county becoming unitary authorities The Royal County of Berkshire was not abolished None NoneBuckinghamshire 5 districts 1997 Buckinghamshire 4 districts None 2020 Buckinghamshire unitary 1997 Milton Keynes unitary None NoneCambridgeshire 6 districts 1998 Cambridgeshire 5 districts None None1998 Peterborough unitary NoneCheshire 8 districts 1998 Cheshire 6 districts Cheshire East unitary NoneCheshire West and Chester unitary None1998 Halton unitary None None1998 Warrington unitary None NoneCleveland 4 districts 1996 Hartlepool unitary None None1996 Middlesbrough unitary None None1996 Redcar and Cleveland unitary None None1996 Stockton on Tees unitary None NoneCornwall 6 districts None Became unitary NoneCumbria 6 districts None None 2023 Cumberland unitary 2023 Westmorland and Furness unitary Derbyshire 9 districts 1997 Derby unitary None None1997 Derbyshire 8 districts None NoneDevon 10 districts 1998 Devon 8 districts None None1998 Torbay unitary None None1998 Plymouth unitary None NoneDorset 8 districts 1997 Dorset 6 districts None 2019 Dorset a unitary from 5 districts 1997 Bournemouth unitary None 2019 Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole unitary from 2 unitaries and Christchurch district 1997 Poole unitary NoneDurham 8 districts 1997 Durham 7 districts Became unitary None1997 Darlington unitary None NoneEast Sussex 7 districts 1997 East Sussex 5 districts None None1997 Brighton and Hove unitary None NoneEssex 14 districts 1998 Essex 12 districts None None1998 Southend on Sea unitary None None1998 Thurrock unitary None NoneGloucestershire 6 districts None None NoneHampshire 13 districts 1997 Hampshire 11 districts None None1997 Portsmouth unitary None None1997 Southampton unitary None NoneHereford and Worcester 9 districts 1998 Herefordshire unitary None None1998 Worcestershire 6 districts None NoneHertfordshire 10 districts None None NoneHumberside 9 districts 1996 East Riding of Yorkshire unitary None None1996 City of Kingston upon Hull unitary None None1996 North Lincolnshire unitary None None1996 North East Lincolnshire unitary None NoneIsle of Wight 2 districts 1995 Became unitary None NoneKent 14 districts 1998 Kent 12 districts None None1998 The Medway Towns unitary 1998 renamed Medway None NoneLancashire 14 districts 1998 Lancashire 12 districts None None1998 Blackburn with Darwen unitary None None1998 Blackpool unitary None NoneLeicestershire 9 districts 1997 Leicestershire 7 districts None None1997 Leicester unitary None None1997 Rutland unitary None NoneLincolnshire 7 districts None None NoneNorfolk 7 districts None None NoneNorth Yorkshire 8 districts 1996 North Yorkshire 7 districts None 2023 North Yorkshire unitary 1996 York unitary None NoneNorthamptonshire 7 districts None None 2021 North Northamptonshire unitary 2021 West Northamptonshire unitary Northumberland 6 districts None Became unitary NoneNottinghamshire 8 districts 1998 Nottinghamshire 7 districts None None1998 Nottingham unitary None NoneOxfordshire 5 districts None None NoneSalop 6 districts 1980 renamed Shropshire 1998 Shropshire 5 districts Became unitary None1998 The Wrekin unitary 1998 Renamed Telford and Wrekin None NoneSomerset 5 districts None None 2019 Somerset 4 districts through merger 2023 Somerset unitary Staffordshire 9 districts 1997 Staffordshire 8 districts None None1997 Stoke on Trent unitary None NoneSuffolk 7 districts None None 2019 Suffolk 5 districts through mergers Surrey 11 districts None None NoneWarwickshire 5 districts None None NoneWest Sussex 7 districts None None NoneWiltshire 5 districts 1997 Wiltshire 4 districts Became unitary None1997 Thamesdown unitary 1997 Renamed Swindon None NoneWalesIn Wales there was no distinction between metropolitan and non metropolitan counties all upper tier areas were designated counties The Local Government Wales Act 1994 amended the 1972 Act abolishing the Welsh counties and creating instead new Welsh principal areas some of which are also designated counties For the purposes of lieutenancy the counties constituted in 1974 were preserved See alsoISO 3166 2 GB subdivision codes for the United Kingdom Political make up of local councils in the United Kingdom County councilsNotesThere are 62 unitary authority areas in total but six of them in Berkshire are not counties Avon as a non metropolitan county was abolished in 1996 in accordance with Avon Structural Change Order 1995 The name of the non metropolitan district and district council was changed to North Somerset by resolution of the council 11 July 1995 However this did not change the name of the county which had the same area The Local Government Changes for England Miscellaneous Provision Regulations 1995 gave district councils in a county for which there is no county council and in which there is not more than one district the additional power to change the name of the county This was however not done until 2005 References A Beginners Guide to UK Geography 2023 Open Geography Portal Office for National Statistics 24 August 2023 Retrieved 9 December 2023 The 25 non metropolitan shire counties form the upper tier of the two tier local government structure found in many parts of England The lower tier of the structure is the non metropolitan districts Davis Howard 1997 Reviewing the review Local Government Studies 23 3 5 17 Local Government Act 1972 c 70 S 1 1 Hansard Written Answers 31 March 1995 col 830 Local Government Act 1972 c 70 Schedule I Part II Avon Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Avon Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 Agendas Minutes and Reports 1 August 2009 Archived from the original on 1 August 2009 The Bedfordshire Borough of Luton Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Bedfordshire Structural Changes Order 2008 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 Non metropolitan county of Berkshire was granted royal status by letters patent in 1974 The Berkshire Structural Change Order 1996 Legislation gov uk 12 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Buckinghamshire Borough of Milton Keynes Structural Changes Order 1995 The Cambridgeshire City of Peterborough Structural Boundary and Electoral Changes Order 1996 Legislation gov uk 12 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Cheshire Boroughs of Halton and Warrington Structural Change Order 1996 Legislation gov uk 12 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Cheshire Structural Changes Order 2008 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Cleveland Further Provision Order 1995 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Cornwall Structural Change Order 2008 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Derbyshire City of Derby Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 6 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Devon City of Plymouth and Borough of Torbay Structural Change Order 1996 The Dorset Boroughs of Poole and Bournemouth Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Bournemouth Dorset and Poole Structural Changes Order 2018 www legislation gov uk Retrieved 1 May 2019 The Durham Borough of Darlington Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The County Durham Structural Change Order 2008 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The East Sussex Boroughs of Brighton and Hove Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Essex Boroughs of Colchester Southend on Sea and Thurrock and District of Tendring Structural Boundary and Electoral Changes Order 1996 Legislation gov uk 12 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Hampshire Cities of Portsmouth and Southampton Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Hereford and Worcester Structural Boundary and Electoral Changes Order 1996 Legislation gov uk 26 September 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Humberside Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 5 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Isle of Wight Structural Change Order 1994 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Kent Borough of Gillingham and City of Rochester upon Medway Structural Change Order 1996 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Lancashire Boroughs of Blackburn and Blackpool Structural Change Order 1996 Legislation gov uk 26 September 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Leicestershire City of Leicester and District of Rutland Structural Change Order 1996 legislation gov uk website accessed 2012 09 13 permanent dead link The North Yorkshire District of York Structural and Boundary Changes Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Northumberland Structural Change Order 2008 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Nottinghamshire City of Nottingham Structural Change Order 1996 legislation gov uk website accessed 2012 09 13 Legislation gov uk 12 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Shropshire District of The Wrekin Structural Change Order 1996 Legislation gov uk 12 March 2015 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Shropshire Structural Change Order 2008 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Somerset West and Taunton Local Government Changes Order 2018 www legislation gov uk Retrieved 1 May 2019 The Staffordshire City of Stoke on Trent Structural and Boundary Changes Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The West Suffolk Local Government Changes Order 2018 www legislation gov uk Retrieved 1 May 2019 The East Suffolk Local Government Changes Order 2018 www legislation gov uk Retrieved 1 May 2019 The Wiltshire Borough of Thamesdown Structural Change Order 1995 Legislation gov uk 21 April 2016 Retrieved 9 January 2017 The Wiltshire Structural Change Order 2008 Legislation gov uk Retrieved 9 January 2017 Arnold Baker C Local Government Act 1972 1973 External linksMap of the UK counties and unitary administrations Map of all UK local authorities
