The current metropolitan boroughs were created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972. New metropolitan counties were created to cover the six largest urban areas in England outside Greater London, and these were subdivided into metropolitan districts, all of which inherited or have been granted Royal Charters to give them borough or city status. The new metropolitan boroughs replaced the county boroughs, municipal boroughs and urban and rural districts which preceded them. The districts typically have populations of 174,000 to 1.1 million.
Metropolitan districts were originally part of a two-tier structure of local government, and shared power with the metropolitan county councils (MCCs). They differed from non-metropolitan districts, in the division of powers between district and county councils. Metropolitan districts were Local Education Authorities and were responsible for social services and public transport provision — in non-metropolitan counties these services were the responsibility of county councils.
In 1986 the metropolitan county councils were abolished by the Local Government Act 1985 and most of their functions were devolved to the boroughs, making them to a large extent unitary authorities. Some of their functions were taken over by joint bodies such as Passenger Transport Authorities, and joint fire, police and waste disposal authorities.
