Avon (county) facts for kids

Avon was a county in South West England. It existed for 22 years, from 1 April 1974 until 31 March 1996. Many people felt it was not very useful. Because of this, it was split up. Its areas became parts of Somerset, Bristol, and Gloucestershire.

What Was Avon?

Avon was a county created in 1974. It was part of a big change to how local government worked in England. Before 1974, the areas that became Avon were part of Somerset and Gloucestershire. The government wanted to create new counties that included both big cities and the areas around them. This was meant to make local services like schools, roads, and police work better together.

Where Was Avon Located?

Avon was in the South West England region. It included the major city of Bristol. It also covered the city of Bath, which is famous for its Roman baths. Other towns in Avon included Weston-super-Mare and Yate. The county was named after the River Avon, which flows through the area.

Why Did Avon Stop Existing?

Even though Avon was created to improve local government, it faced some problems. Many people felt that the county did not have a strong local identity. This means that people living there did not feel a strong connection to "Avon" as their home county. They often still felt more connected to their original counties, like Somerset or Gloucestershire.

Because of these feelings and other issues, the government decided to change things again. In the mid-1990s, there was another review of local government. This review decided that Avon should be abolished.

What Happened After Avon?

When Avon was abolished on 31 March 1996, its areas were divided.

• The city of Bristol became a unitary authority. This means it manages all its local services on its own.
• The city of Bath and the surrounding area became another unitary authority called Bath and North East Somerset.
• The area around Weston-super-Mare became the unitary authority of North Somerset.
• The northern parts of Avon, including towns like Yate, became part of South Gloucestershire. This also became a unitary authority.

So, instead of one large county called Avon, there are now four smaller, independent local government areas. These new areas manage their own services directly.

Images for kids

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  Map of the former Avon area, now sometimes called Greater Bristol

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Avon para niños