| − | '''Local Government Act 1972''' is an act of the [[UK Parliament|Parliament of the United Kingdom]] passed by the government of [[Edward Heath]] (1970-1974), which received royal assent from [[Elizabeth II]] on 26 October 1972, and came into effect on 1 April 1974. The Act is concerned with local government in England and Wales, and it established a new system of administrative areas. A popular myth persists that the Act abolished the [[British counties|counties]] of England and Wales, some of which had been in existence for around 1000 years at that point. This is incorrect however; the act actually abolished the county councils (of which some covered areas substantially different to the counties) established some 90 years prior.<ref>[https://abcounties.com/news/the-strange-case-of-the-counties-that-didnt-change/ The Strange Case of the Counties That Didn’t Change]</ref> | + | '''Local Government Act 1972''' is an act of the [[UK Parliament|Parliament of the United Kingdom]] passed by the government of [[Edward Heath]] (1970-1974), which received royal assent from [[Elizabeth II]] on 26 October 1972, and came into effect on 1 April 1974. The Act is concerned with local government in England and Wales, and it established a new system of administrative areas. A popular myth persists that the Act abolished the [[British counties|counties]] of England and Wales, some of which had been in existence for around 1000 years at that point. This is incorrect however; the act actually abolished the county councils (of which some covered areas substantially different to the counties) established some 90 years prior, plus the various other administrative bodies established subsequently.<ref>[https://abcounties.com/news/the-strange-case-of-the-counties-that-didnt-change/ The Strange Case of the Counties That Didn’t Change]</ref> |