Local Government Act 1985 facts for kids

The Local Government Act 1985 was an important law in the United Kingdom. It changed how local areas were managed. This law mostly got rid of big local councils in Greater London and other large cities. These councils had been set up earlier to help run things like schools and roads.

What the Act Did

This new law, called the Local Government Act 1985, said that the Greater London Council and the main councils in big cities (called metropolitan counties) would stop existing. These councils had been in charge of many important services for people living in those areas.

The Act officially started on 1 April 1986. After this date, the smaller local councils, known as metropolitan boroughs and London boroughs, took over some of the jobs. Other jobs went to the central government in London. At the time, about one-third of all people in England lived in Greater London or these big city areas.

Why the Act Was Passed

The Local Government Act 1985 was passed by the government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. There had been many disagreements between the central government and these large local councils. The government felt that these councils were too powerful or not managing things well.

New Ways of Working

To make sure important services still ran smoothly, the Act created something called "joint-boards." These were special groups made up of councillors from the smaller boroughs. These joint-boards took over some of the tasks that the abolished councils used to do, especially in the metropolitan counties and Greater London.

Images for kids

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  Principal local authorities in England after the passing of the act