Status details for County Borough

Status:County Borough
Identifier:CB
Number of units in system: 91
Geographical Level: 9 (Middle-level District)
ADL Feature Type:countries, 3rd order divisions
Is a status within:Local Government District

Full Description:

A provision within the Local Government Act (1888) (51 & 52 Vict, c41) enabled towns to free themselves from County control when their population reached 50,000, rising to a population above 75,000 in the County Boroughs and Adjustment Act of 1926 (Hasluck, 1948, p.135 & p.161). The Local Government Act of 1888 led to the creation of sixty-one boroughs gaining independence from County jurisdiction, by 1948 this number had increased to eighty-four. This status entailed complete independence from the surrounding or adjacent county upon which it had once been dependant. The County Boroughs were complete in themselves and were responsible for all the normal services (such as Poor Law, Sanitary, Education, Health, Water and Transport), as well as additional Local Government functions formerly shared with the County Council. The County Borough was abolished in 1974.