Everything about Municipal Borough totally explained
Municipal boroughs were a type of
local government which existed in
England and
Wales between 1835 and 1974.
The municipal boroughs were created by the
Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and allowed the creation of an elected
town council, consisting of a
mayor,
aldermen and
councillors to oversee many local affairs.
History
Boroughs had existed in England and Wales since
mediæval times, as areas governed by a
municipal corporation, which were conferred by
Royal Charter. These corporations were usually self-selecting
oligarchies. The 1835 Act required all municipal corporations to be elected according to a standard franchise, based on property ownership. At the same time, a procedure was established whereby a town could
petition Parliament to be given borough status. The Act reformed 178 boroughs — others were left unreformed and either became irrelevant or were reformed later. Only the
City of London Corporation survives as a local authority to today in an unreformed state.
In 1889, the
Local Government Act 1888 created
county councils across England and Wales. Boroughs were divided into two sorts, with some becoming
county boroughs which were entirely self-governing and independent from county council administration.
The non-county boroughs had more limited powers of self-government, and shared power with county councils. In 1894, towns which hadn't been incorporated as boroughs became
urban districts with similar powers to municipal boroughs.
The title of 'borough' was considered to be more dignified than 'urban district', and so many larger urban districts petitioned Parliament to be granted the status of a municipal borough, and many were granted this right. Borough status didn't substantially increase local government powers, although municipal boroughs above a certain size had the right to run
primary education.
See also:
Boroughs incorporated in England and Wales 1835 - 1882,
Unreformed boroughs in England and Wales 1835 - 1886 and
Boroughs incorporated in England and Wales 1882 - 1974.
Abolition
Under the
Local Government Act 1958, small municipal boroughs could be absorbed by surrounding
rural districts to become
rural boroughs, with the powers of a
parish council. The borough corporation continued to exist, along with any civic dignities granted by the charter of incorporation.
All municipal boroughs, of which there were over 200, were abolished on
April 1,
1974 by the
Local Government Act 1972. In England, they were replaced by
metropolitan or
non-metropolitan districts and in Wales by
districts.
In most cases the civic privileges and
coat of arms of the abolished boroughs were inherited by one of the new local authorities. District councils were permitted to apply for a charter to receive
borough status, while small municipal boroughs became
successor parishes with Town Councils headed by a town mayor. In a few cases
charter trustees, a special committee of district councillors, were formed to pepetuate the mayoralty of a town or city.
Further Information
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