Catalogue description Records of the Local Government Commission for England

Records originally intended for the departmental code 'RS' are now in this code 'JT'.

The Local Government Commission for England was established on 1 July 1992 under the Local Government Act 1992. It inherited the functions of the former Local Government Boundary Commission for England in carrying out reviews of local government boundaries and ward boundaries but it was also required to review the structure of local government in shire England.

This review of the structure of local government formed part of a wider programme of reform of English local government, which also included the replacement of the community charge by the council tax, the extension of the market testing of local government services and a review of internal management arrangements.

The Local Government Act 1992 required the Commission to conduct reviews of areas of England specified by the Secretary of State for the Environment and to recommend any structural, boundary or electoral changes as appeared to be desirable having regard to the need to reflect the identities and interests of local communities and to secure effective and convenient local government. In addition to the criteria set out in the Act, the Commission was required to take into account policy and procedure guidance from the Secretary of State for the Environment who issued directions to the Commission from time to time, under section 13(6) of the Local Government Act.

Upon receiving the Commission's final recommendations for any area the Secretary of State was required to undertake consultation on that recommendation. He could then proceed to implement all or any of the Commission's recommendations, direct the Commission to undertake a further review of any area to which the report relates or take no further action on the Commission's recommendations.

The functions of the Commission were transferred to the Electoral Commission on 1 April 2002, by statutory instrument SI 2001/3962.