Municipal Borough

A Municipal Borough was a local government district that existed in England and Wales from 1835-1974.

Municipal boroughs enjoyed that status either by virtue of an ancient charter and inclusion in the schedule of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, or by a later grant of a charter of incorporation. Municipal Boroughs were governed by a corporation consisting of a mayor, aldermen and councillors.

Councillors were directly elected and had a three year term of office, with one third of their number being elected annually. Aldermen were chosen by the council themselves and made up a quarter of the council: they had a six year term of ffice, with half their number retiring every three years. The mayor and deputy mayor were elected annually. The mayor was usually chosen from among the aldermen and councillors, but could be selected from outside the council.

Boroughs were generally seen as holding a higher status than Urban Districts due to holding a charter. Apart from mayoral robes and chains, boroughs were permitted to have a mayor borne before the mayor.

Many towns in the Outer London suburbs became municipal boroughs between 1890 and 1955.

Municipal boroughs within Greater London were abolished in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 and replaced with London Boroughs. Elsewhere in England and Wales they survived until 1974 when they were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972.