Summary
| Date | Class | Division | Responsibility | Officials | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 700-1066 | First tier | Shire | Judiciary, militia (the Fyrd), maintenance of roads | Ealdorman, Shire-reeve (Sheriff) | |
| Second tier | Hundred | Collective responsibility for behaviour | Hundred-man | ||
| 1066–1350 | First tier (de jure) |
County | Judiciary | Sheriff | |
| Second tier (de jure) |
Hundred | Theoretically responsible for maintenance of law and order | Effectively obsolete after Norman conquest | ||
| First tier (parallel, de facto) |
Fief | Actual control of population, raising of military forces | Baron, Duke, Earl, etc. | Land held "from The Crown" | |
| Second tier (parallel, de facto) |
Parish or manor |
Local administration | Sub-divisions of fiefs | ||
| Independent town | Borough | Administration of town | Mayor, Town Corporation | Granted by Charter from The Crown | |
| 1350–1540 | First tier | County County Corporate |
Judiciary, Keeping the peace | Sheriff, Justice of the Peace | County corporate status granted by The Crown |
| Second tier (unofficial) |
Parish | No official roles | |||
| Independent town | Borough | Administration of town | Mayor, Town Corporation | ||
| 1540–1832 | First tier | County County Corporate |
Judiciary, 'County business' (primarily through judiciary) | Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, Lord Lieutenant | |
| Second tier (non-governmental) |
Parish | Maintenance of roads (from 1555); administering the Poor Law (from 1605) | Vestry | Functions supervised by unpaid officials (e.g. Surveyor of Highways) | |
| Independent town | Borough | Administration of town | Mayor, Town Corporation | ||
| 1832–1888 | First tier | County County Corporate |
Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, Lord Lieutenant | ||
| Second tier (non-governmental) |
Parish | Maintenance of roads (until 1855); administration of the Poor Law (see below). | |||
| Second tier (non-governmental) |
Poor Law Unions from 1837 Sanitary districts from 1875 |
Administration of the Poor Law, public health and sanitation, | Poor Law Guardians, Town Corporations | Poor law unions formed by unions of parish councils; Rural sanitary districts formed from Poor law unions; Urban sanitary districts formed by municipal boroughs or Local Health Boards | |
| Independent town | Municipal Borough | Mayor, Town Corporation, elected councillors | Reformed from 1835 on | ||
| 1888-1974 (to 1965 in London) |
Super tier | Statutory county | Judiciary, Ceremonial | Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, Lord Lieutenant | Based on the historic counties of England |
| First tier | Administrative county (incorporating counties corporate) |
County Councillor | Counties corporate retained their own ceremonial officials, but no other powers | ||
| First tier | County boroughs (Towns with popn. over 50000) (incorporating counties corporate) |
Borough Councillor | |||
| Second tier | Urban district (Called metropolitan boroughs in London) (Both) |
District Councillor | |||
| Second tier | Rural district (Only in administrative counties) |
District Councillor | |||
| Second tier | Municipal Borough (Both) |
Administration of town business | Mayor, Town corporation | Effectively urban districts with a royal charter | |
| Third tier | Civil parish (Rural districts only) |
Variable, generally 'upkeep of the town' | Parish Councillor | ||
| Sui generis | City of London | All local government functions | Lord Mayor of London | Technically a county corporate and municipal borough; effectively a county borough | |
| 1974–1997 | First tier | County (metropolitan or non-metropolitan) |
Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, Lord Lieutenant, County Councillor | Counties redrawn; generally based on historic counties | |
| Second tier | District or Metropolitan Borough |
District Councillor | |||
| Third tier | Civil Parish (rural areas only) |
Variable, generally 'upkeep of the town' | |||
| Sui generis | City of London | Lord Mayor of London | Technically a County Corporate and Municipal borough; effectively a London borough | ||
| 1997- | Super tier | Region | Strategic direction | Mayor of London (only London) | |
| Ceremonial | Ceremonial county |
Ceremonial | Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, Lord Lieutenant | Compromise between counties of 1888 and 1974 | |
| First tier | (Administrative) County | County Councillor | |||
| Second tier | District | District Councillor | |||
| Joint tier | Unitary Authority Metropolitan borough |
All local government administration | Councillor | ||
| Third tier | Civil Parish | Variable, generally 'upkeep of the town' | Parish Councillor | ||
| Sui generis | City of London | All local government administration | Lord Mayor of London | Technically a County Corporate and Municipal borough; effectively a unitary authority |
Read more about this topic: History Of Local Government In England
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