Urban district councils (or UDCs) were a tier of local government organisation in England and Wales between the Local Government Act of 1894 and reorganisation of local government areas in 1974. They were created for urban areas that were too small or too historiically insignificant to be cities or county or municipal boroughs. Examples of UDCs include Consett, Maryport, Sidmouth, Ventnor, Staines, Basildon, Newmarket, March, Melton Mowbray and Northwich.