1 The local government areas.E+W
(1)For section 20 of the M1Local Government Act 1972 (“the 1972 Act”) substitute—
“20 New principal local government areas in Wales.
(1)For the administration of local government on and after 1st April 1996, the local government areas in Wales shall be—
(a)the new principal areas; and
(b)the communities.
(2)The new principal areas (determined by reference to areas which, immediately before the passing of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, are local government areas) are set out in Parts I and II of Schedule 4 to this Act.
(3)Each of the new principal areas shall have the name given to it in Schedule 4.
(4)The new principal areas set out in Part I of Schedule 4 shall be counties and those set out in Part II of that Schedule shall be county boroughs.
(5)In this Act “principal area”, in relation to Wales, means a county or county borough.
(6)The counties which were created by this Act, as originally enacted, as counties in Wales, and the districts within them, shall cease to exist on 1st April 1996 except that the preserved counties shall continue in existence (with, in some cases, modified boundaries) for certain purposes.
(7)The councils of the counties and districts mentioned in subsection (6) above shall cease to exist on 1st April 1996.
(8)The areas of the preserved counties are set out in Part III of Schedule 4 and are determined by reference to local government areas in existence immediately before the passing of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994.
(9)The Secretary of State may by order change the name by which any of the preserved counties is for the time being known.
(10)Any such order shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
(11)The Welsh name of each of the new principal areas is shown in Schedule 4 immediately after its English name.”
(2)Schedule 1 substitutes new Parts I, II and III in Schedule 4 to the 1972 Act.
(3)Schedule 2 provides for the application of certain enactments in relation to the preserved counties.
(4)Section 270(1) of the 1972 Act (definitions) is amended as follows.
(5)In the definition of “local authority” for “or community council” substitute “ council but, in relation to Wales, means a county council, county borough council or community council; ”.
(6)In the definition of “local government area”, for paragraph (b), substitute—
in relation to Wales, a county, county borough or community;”.
(7)After the definition of “prescribed” insert—
““preserved county” means any county created by this Act as a county in Wales, as it stood immediately before the passing of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 but subject to any provision of the Act of 1994, or any provision made under this Act, redrawing its boundaries;”.
(8)In the definition of “principal area” insert at the end “ but, in relation to Wales, means a county or county borough. ”
Commencement Information
I1S. 1 wholly in force at 1.4.1996; s. 1(1)(2)(7) in force at 5.7.1994 see s. 66(2); s. 1(4)in force at 24.10.1994 and s. 1(5)(6)(8) in force for certain purposes at 24.10.1994 by S.I. 1994/2790, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (subject to art. 2(2)(3)); s. 1(5)(8) in force for certain purposes at 20.3.1995 by S.I. 1995/546, art. 3, Sch. (subject to arts. 4-8 (as amended by S.I. 1995/851)); s. 1(3)(5)(6)(8) in force at 3.4.1995 for certain purposes by S.I. 1995/852, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (subject to art. 3(2)(3)); s. 1(3)(5)(8) in force for certain purposes at 1.10.1995 by S.I. 1995/2490, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (subject to art. 3(2)-(4)); s. 1(3)(5)(6)(8) in force for certain purposes at 1.4.1996 by S.I. 1995/3198, art. 3, Sch. 1
Marginal Citations