Non-metropolitan district

Type of local government district in England

Non-metropolitan district

* Also known as:
* Shire district

Category| Local authority districts
Location| England
Found in| Non-metropolitan county
Created by| Local Government Act 1972
Created|

* 1 April 1974

Number| 226 (as of 2023)
Possible types|

* Two-tier (164)
* Unitary authority  (62)

Possible status|

* City
* Royal borough
* Borough

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Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially "shire districts", are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties (colloquially shire counties) in a two-tier arrangement.[1] Non-metropolitan districts with borough status are known as boroughs, able to appoint a mayor and refer to itself as a borough council. Some shire counties, for example Cornwall, now have no sub-divisions so are a single non-metropolitan district.

Typically, a district will consist of a market town and its more rural hinterland. However, districts are diverse, with some being mostly urban (such as Dartford) and others more polycentric (such as Thurrock).

## Structure

[edit]

Non-metropolitan districts are subdivisions of English non-metropolitan counties which have a two-tier structure of local government.[2] Two-tier non-metropolitan counties have a county council and several districts, each with a borough or district council. In these cases local government functions are divided between county and district councils, to the level where they can be practised most efficiently:

* Borough/district councils are responsible for local planning and building control, 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, fire services, Trading Standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.
* In the case where a non-metropolitan county consists of a single non-metropolitan district, there is a single council, a unitary authority, that is responsible for all functions.

Service  | Non-metropolitan county | Non-metropolitan district | Unitary authority

|
|
|

Education  | Y |  | Y
Housing  |  | Y | Y
Planning applications  |  | Y | Y
Strategic planning  | Y |  | Y
Transport planning  | Y |  | Y
Passenger transport  | Y |  | Y
Highways  | Y |  | Y
Fire  | Y |  | Y
Social services  | Y |  | Y
Libraries  | Y |  | Y
Leisure and recreation  |  | Y | Y
Waste collection  |  | Y | Y
Waste disposal  | Y |  | Y
Environmental health  |  | Y | Y
Revenue collection  |  | Y | Y

## Status

[edit]

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.

## History

[edit]

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 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 than their non-metropolitan counterparts. Initially, there were 296 non-metropolitan districts in the two-tier structure, but reforms in the 1990s and 2009 reduced their number to 192. A further 55 non-metropolitan districts are now unitary authorities, which combine the functions of county and borough/district councils.

### Scotland and Wales

[edit]

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.

## District Councils' Network

[edit]

In England most of the district councils are represented by the District Councils' Network,[3] special interest group which sits within the Local Government Association.[4] The network's purpose is to "act as an informed and representative advocate for districts to government and other national bodies, based on their unique position to deliver for local people."

## List of counties and districts

[edit]

This is a list of two-tier non-metropolitan counties and their districts. All unitary authorities are also non-metropolitan districts, which, with the exception of those of Berkshire, are coterminous with non-metropolitan counties.

For a full list of districts of all types including unitary authorities, metropolitan districts and London boroughs, see Districts of England.

Non-metropolitan county
(excluding unitary authorities)  | Non-metropolitan districts
(excluding unitary authorities)  | Number

|
|

Cambridgeshire | Cambridge – South Cambridgeshire – Huntingdonshire – Fenland – East Cambridgeshire | 005
Derbyshire | High Peak – Derbyshire Dales – South Derbyshire – Erewash – Amber Valley – North East Derbyshire – Chesterfield – Bolsover | 008
Devon | Exeter – East Devon – Mid Devon – North Devon – Torridge – West Devon – South Hams – Teignbridge | 008
East Sussex | Hastings – Rother – Wealden – Eastbourne – Lewes | 005
Essex | Harlow – Epping Forest – Brentwood – Basildon – Castle Point – Rochford – Maldon – Chelmsford – Uttlesford – Braintree – Colchester – Tendring | 012
Gloucestershire | Gloucester – Tewkesbury – Cheltenham – Cotswold – Stroud – Forest of Dean | 006
Hampshire | Gosport – Fareham – Winchester – Havant – East Hampshire – Hart – Rushmoor – Basingstoke and Deane – Test Valley – Eastleigh – New Forest | 011
Hertfordshire | Three Rivers – Watford – Hertsmere – Welwyn Hatfield – Broxbourne – East Hertfordshire – Stevenage – North Hertfordshire – St Albans – Dacorum | 010
Kent | Dartford – Gravesham – Sevenoaks – Tonbridge and Malling – Tunbridge Wells – Maidstone – Swale – Ashford – Folkestone and Hythe – Canterbury – Dover – Thanet | 012
Lancashire | West Lancashire – Chorley – South Ribble – Fylde – Preston – Wyre – Lancaster – Ribble Valley – Pendle – Burnley – Rossendale – Hyndburn | 012
Leicestershire | Charnwood – Melton – Harborough – Oadby and Wigston – Blaby – Hinckley and Bosworth – North West Leicestershire | 007
Lincolnshire | Lincoln – North Kesteven – South Kesteven – South Holland – Boston – East Lindsey – West Lindsey | 007
Norfolk | Norwich – South Norfolk – Great Yarmouth – Broadland – North Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk – Breckland | 007
Nottinghamshire | Rushcliffe – Broxtowe – Ashfield – Gedling – Newark and Sherwood – Mansfield – Bassetlaw | 007
Oxfordshire | Oxford – Cherwell – South Oxfordshire – Vale of White Horse – West Oxfordshire | 005
Staffordshire | Tamworth – Lichfield – Cannock Chase – South Staffordshire – Stafford – Newcastle-under-Lyme – Staffordshire Moorlands – East Staffordshire | 008
Suffolk | Ipswich – Babergh – East Suffolk – Mid Suffolk – West Suffolk | 005
Surrey | Spelthorne – Runnymede – Surrey Heath – Woking – Elmbridge – Guildford – Waverley – Mole Valley – Epsom and Ewell – Reigate and Banstead – Tandridge | 011
Warwickshire | North Warwickshire – Nuneaton and Bedworth – Rugby – Stratford-on-Avon – Warwick | 005
West Sussex | Worthing – Arun – Chichester – Horsham – Crawley – Mid Sussex – Adur | 007
Worcestershire | Worcester – Malvern Hills – Wyre Forest – Bromsgrove – Redditch – Wychavon | 006
Total | 164

## List of abolished non-metropolitan districts

[edit]

This is a list of former two-tier districts in England which have been abolished, by local government reorganisations such as the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. It does not include districts that still exist after becoming a unitary authority or those that transferred from one county to another, including those that changed name. Nor does it include unitary authorities that have been abolished (Bournemouth and Poole).

Non-metropolitan county (at time of abolition)  | Abolished two-tier non-metropolitan districts  | Number

|
|

Avon | Bath – Kingswood – Northavon – Wansdyke | 04
Bedfordshire | Mid Bedfordshire – South Bedfordshire | 02
Buckinghamshire | South Bucks – Chiltern – Wycombe – Aylesbury Vale | 04
Cheshire | Chester – Congleton – Crewe and Nantwich – Ellesmere Port and Neston – Macclesfield – Vale Royal | 06
Cornwall | Caradon – Carrick – Kerrier – North Cornwall – Penwith – Restormel | 06
Cumbria | Barrow-in-Furness – South Lakeland – Copeland – Allerdale – Eden – Carlisle | 06
Dorset | Weymouth and Portland – West Dorset – North Dorset – Purbeck – East Dorset – Christchurch | 06
Durham | Durham – Easington – Sedgefield – Chester-le-Street – Derwentside – Wear Valley – Teesdale | 07
East Sussex | Brighton – Hove | 02
Hereford and Worcester | Hereford – Leominster – Malvern Hills – South Herefordshire | 03
Humberside | East Yorkshire Borough of Beverley – Boothferry – Cleethorpes – East Yorkshire – Glanford – Great Grimsby – Holderness – Scunthorpe | 08
Isle of Wight | Medina – South Wight | 02
Kent | Gillingham – Rochester-upon-Medway | 02
Northamptonshire | South Northamptonshire – Northampton – Daventry – Wellingborough – Kettering – Corby – East Northamptonshire | 07
North Yorkshire | York[a] – Selby – Harrogate – Craven – Richmondshire – Hambleton – Ryedale – Scarborough | 08
Northumberland | Blyth Valley – Wansbeck – Castle Morpeth – Tynedale – Alnwick – Berwick-upon-Tweed | 06
Shropshire | Bridgnorth – North Shropshire – Oswestry – Shrewsbury and Atcham – South Shropshire | 05
Somerset | Taunton Deane – West Somerset – South Somerset – Somerset West and Taunton – Sedgemoor – Mendip | 06
Suffolk | Forest Heath – St Edmundsbury – Suffolk Coastal – Waveney | 04
Wiltshire | Kennet – North Wiltshire – Salisbury – West Wiltshire | 04
Total | 98

## See also

[edit]

* England portal

* List of local governments in the United Kingdom
* District Councils' Network
* 2019–2023 structural changes to local government in England

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ the district was abolished in 1996 and merged to form a larger York unitary district

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "A Beginners Guide to UK Geography (2023)". Open Geography Portal. Office for National Statistics. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023. "The 188 non-metropolitan districts (also known as local authority districts (LAD)) form the lower tier of the two-tier local government structure found in many parts of England. They are subdivisions of the non-metropolitan (shire) counties."
2. ^ National Statistics – Counties, Non-metropolitan Districts and Unitary Authorities Archived 9 May 2002 at the UK Government Web Archive
3. ^ "Members | District Councils' Network". Districtcouncils.info. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
4. ^ "Special interest groups | Local Government Association". Government of the United Kingdom. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.

## External links

[edit]

* Map of the UK counties and unitary administrations
* Map of all UK local authorities

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Subdivisions of England

Region|

* Regions
* ITL 1 statistical regions of England

County|

* Ceremonial county
* Metropolitan county
* Non-metropolitan county
* Greater London

District and civil parish|

* Civil parish
* Metropolitan borough
* Non-metropolitan district
* London borough
* Unitary authority
* sui generis
* City of London
* Isles of Scilly

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Designations for types of administrative division

English terms

Common English terms

| Area|

* Insular area
* Local government area
* Special area
* Unincorporated area
* Unorganized area

|

Borough|

* County borough
* Metropolitan borough

Canton|

Half-canton

Capital|

* Federal capital
* Imperial capital

City|

* Autonomous city
* Charter city
* Independent city
* Incorporated city
* Imperial city
* Free imperial city
* Royal free city

Community|

* Autonomous community
* Residential community

County|

* Administrative county
* Autonomous county
* Consolidated city-county
* County seat
* County town
* Metropolitan county
* Non-metropolitan county
* Regional county municipality
* Viscounty

Country|

* Overseas country

Department|

* Overseas department

District|

* Capital district
* City district
* Congressional district
* Electoral district
* Federal district
* Indian government district
* Land district
* Local government district
* Metropolitan district
* Non-metropolitan district
* Military district
* Municipal district
* Police district
* Regional district
* Rural district
* Sanitary district
* Service district
* Educational service district
* Local service district
* School district
* Intermediate school district
* Special district
* in the US
* Urban district

Division|

* Census division
* Police division
* Subdivision of India

Indian reserve/reservation|

* Indian reservation (United States)
* Indian reserve (Canada)

Municipality|

* City municipality
* County municipality
* Direct-controlled municipality
* District municipality
* Neutral municipality
* Regional municipality
* Resort municipality
* Mountain resort municipality
* Rural municipality
* Specialized municipality

Prefecture|

* Autonomous prefecture
* Subprefecture
* Super-prefecture
* Praetorian prefecture

Province|

* Autonomous province
* Overseas province
* Roman province

Region|

* Administrative region
* Special administrative region
* Autonomous region
* Capital region
* National capital region
* Development region
* Mesoregion
* Microregion
* Overseas region
* Subregion

State|

* Proto-state
* City-state
* Federal state
* Free state
* Sovereign state

Territory|

* Capital territory
* Federal capital territory
* National capital territory
* Dependent territory
* Federal territory
* Incorporated territory
* Organized incorporated territory
* Overseas territory
* Union territory

Town|

* Census town
* Market town

Township|

* Charter township
* Civil township
* Paper township
* Survey township
* Urban township

Unit|

* Regional unit

Zone|

* Economic zone
* Exclusive economic zone
* Free economic zone
* Special economic zone
* Exclusion zone
* Military exclusion zone
* Free speech zone
* Neutral zone
* Self-administered zone
* Trade zone
* Free-trade zone

Other English terms

| Current|

* Alpine resort
* Bailiwick
* Banner
* Autonomous
* Block
* Cadastre
* Circle
* Circuit
* Colony
* Commune
* Condominium
* Constituency
* Duchy
* District
* Eldership
* Emirate
* Enclave and exclave
* Federal dependency
* Governorate
* Hamlet
* Manor
* Royal
* Muftiate
* Neighbourhood
* Parish
* Precinct
* Principality
* Protectorate
* Quarter
* Regency
* Autonomous republic
* Riding
* Sector
* Autonomous
* Shire
* Sultanate
* Suzerainty
* Townland
* Village
* Summer
* Ward

|

Historical|

* Agency
* Barony
* Burgh
* Exarchate
* Hide
* Hundred
* Imperial Circle
* March
* Monthon
* Presidency
* Residency
* Roman diocese
* Seat
* Tenth
* Tithing
* Viceroyalty

Non-English terms or loanwords

| Current|

* Amt
* Apskritis
* Bakhsh
* Barangay
* Bashki
* Bezirk
* Regierungsbezirk
* Comarca
* Comune
* Frazione
* Freguesia
* Fu
* Gemeinde
* Austria
* Germany
* South Tyrol
* Switzerland
* Gemeente
* Gmina
* Hromada
* Județ
* Kampong
* Kommun/Kunta
* Finland
* Sweden
* Län (Sweden)
* Landskap
* Finland
* Località
* Maakunta
* Megye
* Muban
* Mukim
* Njësi administrative
* Obec
* Oblast
* Autonomous
* Okrug
* Ostān
* Poblacion
* Purok
* Qark
* Raion
* Savivaldybė
* Selsoviet
* Sitio
* Seniūnija
* Shahrestān
* Sum
* China
* Sýsla
* Tehsil
* Townlet
* Vingtaine

|

Historical|

* Commote
* Gau
* Heerlijkheid
* Komunë
* Köping
* Korale
* Län/Lääni
* Landskap
* Sweden
* Landskommun
* Maalaiskunta
* Nome
* Egypt
* Greece
* Pagus
* Pargana
* Plasă
* Rreth
* Satrapy
* Socken
* Subah
* Syssel
* Zhou

Used by ten or more countries or having derived terms. Historical derivations in italics.

See also
Autonomous administration
Census division
Electoral district
List of administrative divisions by country
Greek administrative divisions
Slavic administrative divisions
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