This video discusses the history and organization of London's boroughs. Prior to 1965, London was divided into 86 authorities, many of which were small and inefficient. The government decided to consolidate these into 32 larger boroughs, with the goal of creating more efficient and effective local governance. The process of creating these new boroughs was complex and involved merging smaller authorities, with some areas resisting the changes.
The video also explores the process of naming the new boroughs, with the government establishing rules to ensure that names were clear, concise, and indicative of the area's location. However, some boroughs were allowed to have longer or more unusual names, such as the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
The video concludes by noting that the 32 London boroughs have been in place since 1965 and have undergone some changes over the years, but the basic framework remains the same. The video also includes a promotional segment for NordVPN, a virtual private network (VPN) service.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. New York City is divided into five iconic boroughs.
2. Paris is divided into 20 boroughs.
3. London is divided into 32 boroughs.
4. Greater London has a population similar to that of Switzerland.
5. If Greater London were run by one council, it would be the largest in England.
6. The old system of boroughs in London had 86 authorities, mostly based on ancient church parishes.
7. Many of these old authorities dated back to the Middle Ages.
8. In 1965, the area now known as Greater London was reorganized into a more manageable number of boroughs.
9. The City of London has its own separate police force, taxis, and Lord Mayor.
10. The City of London is a square mile on the site of Roman Londinium.
11. The corporation that runs the City of London is very old, with the oldest document dating back to around 1100.
12. The old boroughs in London were merged to create 32 new boroughs.
13. The 32 new boroughs were given names, with most choosing one of their existing names.
14. Some boroughs, like East Ham and West Ham, put it to a local vote to decide on a new name.
15. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea was created by merging two boroughs.
16. The name "Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea" was created despite it being against the rules.
17. The ministry relaxed the ban on "and" in borough names in 1979.
18. Hammersmith and Fulham, and Barking and Dagenham, were created in 1979 and 1980, respectively.
19. The 32 London boroughs still use the names created in the 1960s.