Catalogue description Gifts and Deposits: Association of Municipal Corporations.

On the 27 February 1873 a meeting took place attended by 102 representatives from 48 cities and boroughs, at which a decision was taken to form an Association of Municipal Corporations "in order, by complete organisation more effectually to watch over and protect the interests rights and privileges of municipal corporations as they may be affected by public bill legislation, and in other respects to take action in relation to any other subjects in which municipal corporations may be generally interested". Its function was to administer the central affairs of local government on behalf of urban local authorities.

In its earlier years the association was able to secure the promotion of bills, a number of which passed into law, among them the Private Street Works Act 1892 and the Public Health Act 1925. The most important theme, however, has been boundaries and areas of local government reorganisation generally.

On 1 April 1974 the Association of Municipal Corporations became the Association of Metropolitan Authorities (AMA) to come into line with current local government reorganisation. The AMA is concerned with problems of a national dimension relating to its members. It negotiates with central government on financial matters, comments on new legislation affecting local government activities and puts the metropolitan view to Royal Commissions and committees of inquiry. Every member authority is represented at the quarterly full meetings of the association and each is involved in the election of eight major committees whose membership consists entirely of council members.