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Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially 'shire districts', are a type of local government district in England. As originally created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties (colloquially shire counties) in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement. In the 1990s several non-metropolitan counties were created that are unitary authorities and also have non-metropolitan district status. A third category are the districts of Berkshire which are non-metropolitan districts that are unitary authorities, but without non-metropolitan county status.

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

See also

• List of articles about local government in the United Kingdom