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Local Government

The history of local government in England is one of gradual change and evolution since the Middle Ages.  It was in the 19th century that there was dramatic reform in local administration as a result of a dramatic increase in population, and change in population distribution caused by the Industrial Revolution.

The Local Government Act of 1888 was the first systematic attempt to impose a standardised system of local government in England.  The counties of England at the time were used as the basis of the system and Worcestershire County Council came into being.

A second Act in 1894 also created a second tier of local government. Henceforth, all administrative counties and county boroughs would be divided into either rural or urban districts, allowing more localised administration; it was then that Evesham Rural District Council came into being.

Evesham Rural District Council existed until 1973 when (along with Evesham Borough Council, Droitwich Borough Council, Droitwich Rural District Council and Pershore Rural District Council) it became part of Wychavon District Council as a result of the Local Government Act 1972.