The Local Government Act 1933 (23 & 24 Geo. 5. c. 51) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated and revised existing legislation that regulated local government in England (except the County of London) and Wales. It remained the principal legislation regulating local government until the Local Government Act 1972 took effect in 1974.

Powers of local authorities

Although local authorities acquired few new powers or duties, the Act did include a few innovations:

Administrative areas and local authorities

Although the 1933 Act did not create new local government areas, it repealed most of the Local Government Acts of 1888 and 1894, and parts of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882, and reestablished the existing councils and administrative areas. Section 1 stated: The term "non-county boroughs" was introduced in preference to "municipal borough" as county boroughs were also legally municipal boroughs. The councils for each of these various areas were to be known by the generic term of "local authorities" in this and subsequent legislation. The actual titles of the councils remained the same: Rural parishes were governed by parish councils or parish meetings.

Local government areas listed in the Act

Administrative counties (a) England (exclusive of London) (b) Wales County boroughs (a) England (b) Wales Non-county boroughs (a) England (b) Wales

Amendment and repeal

The 1933 Act was amended by the Local Government Act 1958. The local authorities as defined in the Act, with the exception of rural parishes, were abolished in 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972, when most of the Act was repealed. Parts of the Act still have currency, however. For example, many council byelaws now in force are made under section 249 of the Act.

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