# Successor parish

Successor parishes are civil parishes with a parish council, created in England in 1974. They replaced, with the same boundaries, a selected group of urban districts and municipal boroughs: a total of 300 successor parishes were formed from the former areas of 78 municipal boroughs and 221 urban districts.

## Background

Until 1974, almost all of England was covered by civil parishes. The Local Government Act 1894 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 73) had created parish councils, but only for those parishes which fell within rural districts. In urban areas the urban district council or borough council was the lowest level of government, even if the district or borough covered several urban parishes. During the twentieth century the number of parishes in urban areas gradually reduced, as many towns consolidated all their urban parishes into a single parish which coincided with the urban district or borough.

## Creation

Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 1972 created the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, and part V of schedule 1 directed it to consult with the existing local authorities and make proposals for the establishment of new parishes. These would have a boundary coterminous with an existing urban district or borough, or if divided by a district boundary, as much as was comprised in a single district. The commission was also to propose names for the parishes.
The concept of successor parishes was a relatively late addition to the Local Government Bill, being added at report stage in response to pressure from the councils of small urban districts and boroughs. It was further allowed that these parish councils would be entitled to be styled 'towns' and have 'town mayors', and retain other charter rights. The mechanism for towns and town mayors was introduced in a government amendment in the Lords in September 1972.
The Secretary of State for the Environment was permitted to give the commission guidance on making their proposals. The stated policy was "to retain elected councils at parish level for small towns but not for areas which are parts of larger towns or continuously built up areas". The original criteria for identifying "small towns" was that they should have fewer than 20,000 inhabitants, or less than 20 percent of the district's population.
A report was issued by the commission in May 1973. Following the publication of the report, a large number of representations were made. Fifty-two towns in metropolitan districts wished to be granted successor status, of which ten were successful. A similar number of towns in non-metropolitan districts also made representations, of which fifteen were favourably received. The parishes were created by three statutory instruments: the Local Government (Successor Parishes) Order 1973 (SI 1973/1110), the Local Government (Successor Parishes) (No. 2) Order 1973 (SI 1973/1939), and the Local Government (Successor Parishes) Order 1974 (SI 1974/569).
Where the area of a borough became a successor parish, the powers of the borough corporation under its charter to appoint local officers of dignity passed to the new parish council. Successor parish councils could also apply for the transfer of the coat of arms of the former council by Order in Council. The majority of successor parish councils chose to exercise their right to designate their parish a town, with the parish council becoming a town council. A handful (Chichester, Ely, Ripon, Truro, and Wells) were successors to cities, with the parish council known as a city council.
Civil parishes are not permitted to cross district or county boundaries, and where the creation of a successor parish would cause this to happen, either only part of the former area became a parish or two parishes were formed.

## List of successor parishes

| Abolished district | Successor parish | Successor parish county |
| Clevedon Urban District | Clevedon | Avon |
| Norton-Radstock Urban District | Norton-Radstock | Avon |
| Portishead Urban District | Portishead | Avon |
| Ampthill Urban District | Ampthill | Bedfordshire |
| Biggleswade Urban District | Biggleswade | Bedfordshire |
| Kempston Urban District | Kempston Urban | Bedfordshire |
| Leighton-Linslade Urban District | Leighton-Linslade | Bedfordshire |
| Sandy Urban District | Sandy | Bedfordshire |
| Wokingham Municipal Borough | Wokingham | Berkshire |
| Eton Urban District | Eton | Berkshire |
| Beaconsfield Urban District | Beaconsfield | Buckinghamshire |
| Buckingham Municipal Borough | Buckingham | Buckinghamshire |
| Chesham Urban District | Chesham | Buckinghamshire |
| Marlow Urban District | Marlow | Buckinghamshire |
| Chatteris Urban District | Chatteris | Cambridgeshire |
| Ely Urban District | Ely | Cambridgeshire |
| Huntingdon and Godmanchester Municipal Borough | Huntingdon and Godmanchester | Cambridgeshire |
| St Ives Municipal Borough | Saint Ives | Cambridgeshire |
| March Urban District | March | Cambridgeshire |
| Ramsey Urban District | Ramsey | Cambridgeshire |
| St Neots Urban District | St Neots | Cambridgeshire |
| Wisbech Municipal Borough | Wisbech | Cambridgeshire |
| Alderley Edge Urban District | Alderley Edge | Cheshire |
| Alsager Urban District | Alsager | Cheshire |
| Bollington Urban District | Bollington | Cheshire |
| Golborne Urban District (part) | Culcheth and Glazebury | Cheshire |
| Knutsford Urban District | Knutsford | Cheshire |
| Lymm Urban District | Lymm | Cheshire |
| Middlewich Urban District | Middlewich | Cheshire |
| Nantwich Urban District | Nantwich | Cheshire |
| Northwich Urban District | Northwich | Cheshire |
| Sandbach Urban District | Sandbach | Cheshire |
| Winsford Urban District | Winsford | Cheshire |
| Guisborough Urban District | Guisborough | Cleveland |
| Loftus Urban District | Loftus | Cleveland |
| Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea Urban District | Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea | Cleveland |
| Bodmin Municipal Borough | Bodmin | Cornwall |
| Bude-Stratton Urban District | Bude-Stratton | Cornwall |
| Falmouth Municipal Borough | Falmouth | Cornwall |
| Helston Municipal Borough | Helston | Cornwall |
| Dunheved Municipal Borough | Launceston | Cornwall |
| Liskeard Municipal Borough | Liskeard | Cornwall |
| Looe Urban District | Looe | Cornwall |
| Penryn Municipal Borough | Penryn | Cornwall |
| St Ives Municipal Borough | St Ives | Cornwall |
| St Just Urban District | St Just | Cornwall |
| Saltash Municipal Borough | Saltash | Cornwall |
| Truro Municipal Borough | Truro | Cornwall |
| Torpoint Urban District | Torpoint | Cornwall |
| Appleby Municipal Borough | Appleby | Cumbria |
| Cockermouth Urban District | Cockermouth | Cumbria |
| Grange Urban District | Grange-over-Sands | Cumbria |
| Kendal Municipal Borough | Kendal | Cumbria |
| Keswick Urban District | Keswick | Cumbria |
| Lakes Urban District (part) | Lakes | Cumbria |
| Lakes Urban District (part) | Patterdale | Cumbria |
| Maryport Urban District | Maryport | Cumbria |
| Ulverston Urban District | Ulverston | Cumbria |
| Windermere Urban District | Windermere | Cumbria |
| Ashbourne Urban District | Ashbourne | Derbyshire |
| Bakewell Urban District | Bakewell | Derbyshire |
| Belper Urban District | Belper | Derbyshire |
| Bolsover Urban District | Old Bolsover | Derbyshire |
| Clay Cross Urban District | Clay Cross | Derbyshire |
| Dronfield Urban District | Dronfield | Derbyshire |
| New Mills Urban District | New Mills | Derbyshire |
| Ripley Urban District | Ripley | Derbyshire |
| Staveley Urban District | Staveley | Derbyshire |
| Whaley Bridge Urban District | Whaley Bridge | Derbyshire |
| Wirksworth Urban District | Wirksworth | Derbyshire |
| Ashburton Urban District | Ashburton | Devon |
| Barnstaple Municipal Borough | Barnstaple | Devon |
| Bideford Municipal Borough | Bideford | Devon |
| Buckfastleigh Urban District | Buckfastleigh | Devon |
| Budleigh Salterton Urban District | Budleigh Salterton | Devon |
| Crediton Urban District | Crediton | Devon |
| Dartmouth Municipal Borough | Dartmouth | Devon |
| Dawlish Urban District | Dawlish | Devon |
| Great Torrington Municipal Borough | Great Torrington | Devon |
| Honiton Municipal Borough | Honiton | Devon |
| Ilfracombe Urban District | Ilfracombe | Devon |
| Kingsbridge Urban District | Kingsbridge | Devon |
| Lynton Urban District | Lynton | Devon |
| Newton Abbot Urban District | Newton Abbot | Devon |
| Northam Urban District | Northam | Devon |
| Okehampton Municipal Borough | Okehampton | Devon |
| Ottery St Mary Urban District | Ottery St Mary | Devon |
| Salcombe Urban District | Salcombe | Devon |
| Seaton Urban District | Seaton | Devon |
| Sidmouth Urban District | Sidmouth | Devon |
| Teignmouth Urban District | Teignmouth | Devon |
| Tiverton Municipal Borough | Tiverton | Devon |
| Totnes Municipal Borough | Totnes | Devon |
| Blandford Forum Municipal Borough | Blandford Forum | Dorset |
| Bridport Municipal Borough | Bridport | Dorset |
| Dorchester Municipal Borough | Dorchester | Dorset |
| Lyme Regis Municipal Borough | Lyme Regis | Dorset |
| Portland Urban District | Portland | Dorset |
| Shaftesbury Municipal Borough | Shaftesbury | Dorset |
| Sherborne Urban District | Sherborne | Dorset |
| Swanage Urban District | Swanage | Dorset |
| Wareham Municipal Borough | Wareham Lady St Mary | Dorset |
| Wimborne Minster Urban District | Wimborne Minster | Dorset |
| Barnard Castle Urban District | Barnard Castle | Durham |
| Brandon and Byshottles Urban District | Brandon and Byshottles | Durham |
| Shildon Urban District | Shildon | Durham |
| Spennymoor Urban District | Spennymoor | Durham |
| Tow Law Urban District | Tow Law | Durham |
| Lewes Municipal Borough | Lewes | East Sussex |
| Newhaven Urban District | Newhaven | East Sussex |
| Rye Municipal Borough | Rye | East Sussex |
| Brightlingsea Urban District | Brightlingsea | Essex |
| Burnham-on-Crouch Urban District | Burnham-on-Crouch | Essex |
| Epping Urban District | Epping | Essex |
| Frinton and Walton Urban District | Frinton and Walton | Essex |
| Halstead Urban District | Halstead | Essex |
| Harwich Municipal Borough | Harwich | Essex |
| Saffron Walden Municipal Borough | Saffron Walden | Essex |
| Waltham Holy Cross Urban District | Waltham Abbey | Essex |
| West Mersea Urban District | West Mersea | Essex |
| Wivenhoe Urban District | Wivenhoe | Essex |
| Cirencester Urban District | Cirencester | Gloucestershire |
| Nailsworth Urban District | Nailsworth | Gloucestershire |
| Tewkesbury Municipal Borough | Tewkesbury | Gloucestershire |
| Blackrod Urban District | Blackrod | Greater Manchester |
| Horwich Urban District | Horwich | Greater Manchester |
| Saddleworth Urban District | Saddleworth | Greater Manchester |
| Alton Urban District | Alton | Hampshire |
| Petersfield Urban District | Petersfield | Hampshire |
| Romsey Municipal Borough | Romsey | Hampshire |
| Bewdley Municipal Borough | Bewdley | Hereford and Worcester |
| Droitwich Municipal Borough | Droitwich | Hereford and Worcester |
| Evesham Municipal Borough | Evesham | Hereford and Worcester |
| Kington Urban District | Kington | Hereford and Worcester |
| Leominster Municipal Borough | Leominster | Hereford and Worcester |
| Ross-on-Wye Urban District | Ross-on-Wye | Hereford and Worcester |
| Stourport-on-Severn Urban District | Stourport-on-Severn | Hereford and Worcester |
| Berkhamsted Urban District | Berkhamsted | Hertfordshire |
| Bishop's Stortford Urban District | Bishop's Stortford | Hertfordshire |
| Chorleywood Urban District | Chorleywood | Hertfordshire |
| Harpenden Urban District | Harpenden | Hertfordshire |
| Hertford Municipal Borough | Hertford | Hertfordshire |
| Royston Urban District | Royston | Hertfordshire |
| Sawbridgeworth Urban District | Sawbridgeworth | Hertfordshire |
| Tring Urban District | Tring | Hertfordshire |
| Ware Urban District | Ware | Hertfordshire |
| Barton-upon-Humber Urban District | Barton-upon-Humber | Humberside |
| Brigg Urban District | Brigg | Humberside |
| Hedon Municipal Borough | Hedon | Humberside |
| Hornsea Urban District | Hornsea | Humberside |
| Ventnor Urban District | Ventnor | Isle of Wight |
| Broadstairs and St Peter's Urban District | Broadstairs and St Peter's | Kent |
| Faversham Municipal Borough | Faversham | Kent |
| Hythe Municipal Borough | Hythe | Kent |
| Lydd Municipal Borough | Lydd | Kent |
| New Romney Municipal Borough | New Romney | Kent |
| Sandwich Municipal Borough | Sandwich | Kent |
| Sevenoaks Urban District | Sevenoaks | Kent |
| Southborough Urban District | Southborough | Kent |
| Swanscombe Urban District | Swanscombe | Kent |
| Tenterden Municipal Borough | Tenterden | Kent |
| Adlington Urban District | Adlington | Lancashire |
| Carnforth Urban District | Carnforth | Lancashire |
| Clitheroe Municipal Borough | Clitheroe | Lancashire |
| Kirkham Urban District | Kirkham | Lancashire |
| Longridge Urban District | Longridge | Lancashire |
| Preesall Urban District | Preesall | Lancashire |
| Turton Urban District (part) | Turton North | Lancashire |
| Whitworth Urban District | Whitworth | Lancashire |
| Withnell Urban District | Withnell | Lancashire |
| Ashby de la Zouch Urban District | Ashby de la Zouch | Leicestershire |
| Ashby Woulds Urban District | Ashby Woulds | Leicestershire |
| Oakham Urban District | Oakham | Leicestershire |
| Alford Urban District | Alford | Lincolnshire |
| Bourne Urban District | Bourne | Lincolnshire |
| Horncastle Urban District | Horncastle | Lincolnshire |
| Louth Municipal Borough | Louth | Lincolnshire |
| Mablethorpe and Sutton Urban District | Mablethorpe and Sutton | Lincolnshire |
| Market Rasen Urban District | Market Rasen | Lincolnshire |
| Skegness Urban District | Skegness | Lincolnshire |
| Sleaford Urban District | Sleaford | Lincolnshire |
| Stamford Municipal Borough | Stamford | Lincolnshire |
| Woodhall Spa Urban District | Woodhall Spa | Lincolnshire |
| Ashton-in-Makerfield Urban District (part) | Seneley Green | Merseyside |
| Billinge and Winstanley Urban District (part) | Billinge Chapel End | Merseyside |
| Rainford Urban District | Rainford | Merseyside |
| Cromer Urban District | Cromer | Norfolk |
| Diss Urban District | Diss | Norfolk |
| Downham Market Urban District | Downham Market | Norfolk |
| East Dereham Urban District | East Dereham | Norfolk |
| Hunstanton Urban District | Hunstanton | Norfolk |
| North Walsham Urban District | North Walsham | Norfolk |
| Sheringham Urban District | Sheringham | Norfolk |
| Swaffham Urban District | Swaffham | Norfolk |
| Thetford Municipal Borough | Thetford | Norfolk |
| Wells-next-the-Sea Urban District | Wells-next-the-Sea | Norfolk |
| Wymondham Urban District | Wymondham | Norfolk |
| Filey Urban District | Filey | North Yorkshire |
| Knaresborough Urban District | Knaresborough | North Yorkshire |
| Malton Urban District | Malton | North Yorkshire |
| Northallerton Urban District | Northallerton | North Yorkshire |
| Norton Urban District | Norton | North Yorkshire |
| Pickering Urban District | Pickering | North Yorkshire |
| Richmond Municipal Borough | Richmond | North Yorkshire |
| Ripon Municipal Borough | Ripon | North Yorkshire |
| Scalby Urban District | Scalby | North Yorkshire |
| Selby Urban District | Selby | North Yorkshire |
| Skipton Urban District | Skipton | North Yorkshire |
| Whitby Urban District | Whitby | North Yorkshire |
| Brackley Municipal Borough | Brackley | Northamptonshire |
| Burton Latimer Urban District | Burton Latimer | Northamptonshire |
| Desborough Urban District | Desborough | Northamptonshire |
| Higham Ferrers Municipal Borough | Higham Ferrers | Northamptonshire |
| Irthlingborough Urban District | Irthlingborough | Northamptonshire |
| Oundle Urban District | Oundle | Northamptonshire |
| Raunds Urban District | Raunds | Northamptonshire |
| Rothwell Urban District | Rothwell | Northamptonshire |
| Alnwick Urban District | Alnwick | Northumberland |
| Amble Urban District | Amble | Northumberland |
| Hexham Urban District | Hexham | Northumberland |
| Prudhoe Urban District | Prudhoe | Northumberland |
| Eastwood Urban District | Eastwood | Nottinghamshire |
| Warsop Urban District | Warsop | Nottinghamshire |
| Abingdon Municipal Borough | Abingdon | Oxfordshire |
| Bicester Urban District | Bicester | Oxfordshire |
| Chipping Norton Municipal Borough | Chipping Norton | Oxfordshire |
| Henley on Thames Municipal Borough | Henley-on-Thames | Oxfordshire |
| Thame Urban District | Thame | Oxfordshire |
| Wallingford Municipal Borough | Wallingford | Oxfordshire |
| Wantage Urban District | Wantage | Oxfordshire |
| Witney Urban District | Witney | Oxfordshire |
| Woodstock Municipal Borough | Woodstock | Oxfordshire |
| Newport Urban District | Newport | Salop (Shropshire) |
| Burnham-on-Sea Urban District | Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge | Somerset |
| Chard Municipal Borough | Chard | Somerset |
| Crewkerne Urban District | Crewkerne | Somerset |
| Frome Urban District | Frome | Somerset |
| Glastonbury Municipal Borough | Glastonbury | Somerset |
| Ilminster Urban District | Ilminster | Somerset |
| Shepton Mallet Urban District | Shepton Mallet | Somerset |
| Street Urban District | Street | Somerset |
| Watchet Urban District | Watchet | Somerset |
| Wellington Urban District | Wellington | Somerset |
| Wells Municipal Borough | Wells | Somerset |
| Penistone Urban District | Penistone | South Yorkshire |
| Stocksbridge Urban District | Stocksbridge | South Yorkshire |
| Tickhill Urban District | Tickhill | South Yorkshire |
| Biddulph Urban District | Biddulph | Staffordshire |
| Kidsgrove Urban District | Kidsgrove | Staffordshire |
| Leek Urban District | Leek | Staffordshire |
| Stone Urban District | Stone | Staffordshire |
| Uttoxeter Urban District | Uttoxeter | Staffordshire |
| Aldeburgh Municipal Borough | Aldeburgh | Suffolk |
| Beccles Municipal Borough | Beccles | Suffolk |
| Bungay Urban District | Bungay | Suffolk |
| Eye Municipal Borough | Eye | Suffolk |
| Felixstowe Urban District | Felixstowe | Suffolk |
| Hadleigh Urban District | Hadleigh | Suffolk |
| Halesworth Urban District | Halesworth | Suffolk |
| Leiston-cum-Sizewell Urban District | Leiston | Suffolk |
| Saxmundham Urban District | Saxmundham | Suffolk |
| Southwold Urban District | Southwold | Suffolk |
| Stowmarket Urban District | Stowmarket | Suffolk |
| Sudbury Municipal Borough | Sudbury | Suffolk |
| Woodbridge Urban District | Woodbridge | Suffolk |
| Godalming Municipal Borough | Godalming | Surrey |
| Haslemere Urban District | Haslemere | Surrey |
| Hetton Urban District | Hetton | Tyne and Wear |
| Stratford upon Avon Municipal Borough | Stratford-upon-Avon | Warwickshire |
| Kenilworth Urban District | Kenilworth | Warwickshire |
| Warwick Municipal Borough | Warwick | Warwickshire |
| Arundel Municipal Borough | Arundel | West Sussex |
| Burgess Hill Urban District | Burgess Hill | West Sussex |
| Chichester Municipal Borough | Chichester | West Sussex |
| East Grinstead Urban District | East Grinstead | West Sussex |
| Littlehampton Urban District | Littlehampton | West Sussex |
| Denby Dale Urban District | Denby Dale | West Yorkshire |
| Denholme Urban District | Denholme | West Yorkshire |
| Featherstone Urban District | Featherstone | West Yorkshire |
| Hebden Royd Urban District | Hebden Royd | West Yorkshire |
| Hemsworth Urban District | Hemsworth | West Yorkshire |
| Holmfirth Urban District | Holmfirth | West Yorkshire |
| Ilkley Urban District | Ilkley | West Yorkshire |
| Kirkburton Urban District | Kirkburton | West Yorkshire |
| Meltham Urban District | Meltham | West Yorkshire |
| Normanton Urban District | Normanton | West Yorkshire |
| Otley Urban District | Otley | West Yorkshire |
| Ripponden Urban District | Ripponden | West Yorkshire |
| Silsden Urban District | Silsden | West Yorkshire |
| Todmorden Municipal Borough | Todmorden | West Yorkshire |
| Bradford-on-Avon Urban District | Bradford-on-Avon | Wiltshire |
| Calne Municipal Borough | Calne | Wiltshire |
| Devizes Municipal Borough | Devizes | Wiltshire |
| Malmesbury Municipal Borough | Malmesbury | Wiltshire |
| Marlborough Municipal Borough | Marlborough | Wiltshire |
| Melksham Urban District | Melksham | Wiltshire |
| Trowbridge Urban District | Trowbridge | Wiltshire |
| Warminster Urban District | Warminster | Wiltshire |
| Westbury Urban District | Westbury | Wiltshire |
| Wilton Municipal Borough | Wilton | Wiltshire |