'Non-metropolitan districts' or commonly 'Shire districts' are a type of
local government district in
England. They are sub-divisions of
non-metropolitan counties (Shire counties).
Some
unitary authorities are technically non-metropolitan districts. This article however covers only the former meaning of the term.
Shire districts
Shire districts are subdivisions of English non-metropolitan
shire counties which have a two-tier structure of local government.
[1] Shire counties have a
county council, and also have several districts, each with a district council. Local government functions are divided between county and district councils, to the level where they can be practised most efficiently:
★ District councils are responsible for
local planning and
building control, local roads,
council housing,
environmental health,
markets and fairs,
refuse collection and
recycling,
cemeteries and
crematoria, leisure services, parks, and
tourism.
★ County councils are responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as
education,
social services,
libraries, main roads,
public transport,
policing and
fire services,
trading standards,
waste disposal and strategic planning.
Status
Many districts have
Borough status, which means the local council is called a ''Borough Council'' instead of ''District Council'' and gives them the right to appoint a
Mayor. Borough status is granted by
royal charter, and in many cases continues a style enjoyed by a predecessor authority, which can date back centuries. Some districts such as
Oxford or
Exeter have
city status, granted by
letters patent, but this does not give the local council any extra powers other than the right to call itself a ''City Council''. Not all city or borough councils are non-metropolitan districts.
History
By
1899 England had been divided at district level into
rural districts,
urban districts,
municipal boroughs,
county boroughs and
metropolitan boroughs. This system was abolished by the
London Government Act 1963 and the
Local Government Act 1972.
Non-metropolitan districts were created by this act in 1974 when England outside of Greater London was divided into
metropolitan counties and non-metropolitan counties. Metropolitan counties were sub-divided into
metropolitan districts and the non-metropolitan counties were sub-divided into non-metropolitan districts. The metropolitan districts had more powers then their non-metropolitan couterparts.
Initially there were 296 non-metropolitan districts but further legislation in the
1990s allowed a number of large districts to became
unitary authorities which combine county level and district level functions. There are currently (2005) 284 non-metropolitan districts, counting those that are unitary authorities, and the
Isle of Wight.
Non-metropolitan counties on the original pattern are now commonly called 'shire counties' to make them distinct from unitary authorities.
Scotland and Wales
In
Wales an almost identical two-tier system of local government existed between
1974 and
1996 (see
Districts of Wales). In 1996 this was abolished and replaced with an entirely
unitary system of local government, with one level of local government responsible for all local services. Since the areas for Wales and England had been enacted separately, and there were no Welsh metropolitan areas, the term 'non-metropolitan district' does not apply to Wales.
A similar system existed in
Scotland which in
1975 was divided into
regions and districts, this was also abolished in 1996 and replaced with a
fully unitary system.
List of counties and districts
This is a list of shire counties and their shire districts. Some counties contain
unitary authorities which are excluded from this list, as are the counties of
Berkshire which has no county council, and the counties of
Herefordshire, the
Isle of Wight and
Rutland which have no districts.
For a full list of districts of all types including unitary authorities, metropolitan districts and
London boroughs see
Districts of England.
References
1. Glossary of local government terms
See also
★
List of articles about local government in the United Kingdom
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