Local Government Act 1985

Local Government Act 1985

Long title An Act to abolish the Greater London Council and the metropolitan county councils; to transfer their functions to the local authorities in their areas and, in some cases, to other bodies; and to provide for other matters consequential on, or connected with, the abolition of those councils.
Citation 1985 c.51
Territorial extent England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent 16 July 1985
Commencement 1 April 1986
Status: Unknown
Text of statute as originally enacted
Principal local authorities in England after the passing of the act

The Local Government Act 1985 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Its main effect was to abolish the six county councils of the metropolitan counties that had been set up in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, along with the Greater London Council that had been established in 1965. In their place many single purpose authorities known collectively as 'joint authorities' were established for fire service, police and passenger transport. An ad hoc education authority was established for Inner London and a planning authority for Greater London. The legislation permitted councils to form 'joint arrangements' for waste disposal and other services that they wished to provide together. Time-limited residuary bodies were created to dispose of the assets of the former authorities.

Background

Following the victory of the Conservative Party at the 1979 general election, Margaret Thatcher's government were involved in a series of high-profile disputes with the GLC and Metropolitan County Councils. All of the authorities were controlled by, or came under the control of the opposition Labour Party during Thatcher's first term. The Conservative manifesto for the 1983 general election pledged their abolition, describing the councils as "a wasteful and unnecessary tier of government".[1] Having won a landslide victory, the government published a white paper: Streamlining the cities, and its proposals formed the basis of the Local Government Bill.[2]

Provisions

The core provision, section 1, stated that "the Greater London Council; and the metropolitan county councils" shall cease to exist. It came into effect on 1 April 1986, with some powers being devolved to the metropolitan boroughs themselves and London boroughs and others to joint authorities (such as for fire or police purposes) consisting of members of each of the metropolitan district councils within each county. The measures enacted by the act had been proposed in the white paper Streamlining the cities in 1983. At the time of the Act, one third of the population of England were living in Greater London and the metropolitan counties.[3]

Time-limited residuary bodies were created to handle the disposal of the councils' assets. Part III of the Act also set up the Inner London Education Authority, which had previously been a committee of the GLC responsible for education in Inner London, as a directly elected body. This was to remain in existence for only three years.

The Local Government Act 1972 allowed councils to voluntarily form joint committees to provide services together and the Local Government Act 1985 extended this principle by directing local authorities to form some shared arrangements whilst permitting them to form others as they wished.

Local authorities abolished by Part I

Six metropolitan county councils were abolished and the local authority of Greater London.

Joint committees established by Part II

Joint arrangements established by Part II

Ad hoc authorities established by Part III

Note: The outer London borough councils and metropolitan district councils were already education authorities.

Joint authorities established by Part IV

A number of single purpose authorities were established, collectively known as joint authorities in the legislation.

Fire and civil defence authorities
Passenger transport authorities

Note: London Regional Transport was established separately by the London Regional Transport Act 1984.

Police authorities

Note: The Metropolitan Police was under the control of the Home Office and unaffected by the legislation.

Ad hoc bodies established by Part V

Residuary bodies established by Part VII

Ad hoc bodies established by Part IX

References

  1. ↑ Colin Turpin and Adam Tomkins (2007). British Government and the Constitution: Text and Materials. Cambridge University Press. pp. 248–249. ISBN 9780521690294.
  2. ↑ "Streamlining the Cities". Hansard 1803–2005. Parliament of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Hampton, W., Local Government and Urban Politics, (1991)

Bibliography

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