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ENGLAND AND WALES

In England And Wales , urban districts and Rural District s were created in 1894 (by the Local Government Act Of 1894 ) as subdivisions of Administrative Counties .

They replaced the earlier system of Sanitary District s (based on Poor Law Union s) the functions of which were taken over by the district councils. The district councils also had wider powers over local matters such as parks, cemeteries and local planning.

Urban areas were considered to have more problems with Public Health than rural areas, and so urban district councils had more funding, and powers than their corresponding rural districts.

Urban districts usually covered smaller towns, usually with populations of less than 30,000, From the 1930s onwards, many urban and rural districts were merged, and so many urban districts often covered some rural areas as well. Larger towns became Municipal Borough s (already created, in 1835 under the Municipal Reform Act 1835 ) which had a slightly higher status, and the right to appoint a Mayor .

All urban districts in England and Wales were abolished in 1974 , (by the Local Government Act 1972 ) and replaced with a uniform system of larger District s, which usually covered both urban and rural areas. Many Parish Council s were created for towns previously covered by urban districts.

See List Of Rural And Urban Districts In England and List Of Rural And Urban Districts In Wales for lists of the remaining urban districts that were abolished in 1974 .


IRELAND

In Ireland urban districts were created in 1898 by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 . In what is now the Republic Of Ireland they existed but were recently renamed simply 'towns'. The corresponding Rural District s were abolished long ago.

In Northern Ireland , they were abolished in 1973 , and replaced with a system of unitary Districts .

See also: List Of Rural And Urban Districts In Northern Ireland