City of Rochester-upon-Medway
Encyclopedia
Rochester-upon-Medway was a local government district in north Kent
, England
from 1974 to 1998.
The district was formed as the District
of Medway under the Local Government Act 1972
on 1 April 1974, as a merger of the municipal borough
and city of Rochester, the borough of Chatham and most of Strood Rural District
. The district council was granted a charter
entitling it to be known as the Borough of Medway, and preserving the mayoralties of Rochester and Chatham.
of Rochester
, but this was refused. Instead, special letters patent
were granted on 18 March 1974, which declared that the existing area would continue to constitute the City of Rochester, notwithstanding its abolition as a local government authority. In rejecting the council's application, the Home Office
noted that it might be possible to extend city status to the entire borough in the future, provided that "Rochester" feature in its name.
On 3 December 1979 the Medway Borough Council passed a resolution renaming the district as the Borough of Rochester-upon-Medway, and on 25 January 1982 further letters patent were issued declaring that in future:
Accordingly the district became the City of Rochester-upon-Medway.
, the city was abolished on 1 April 1998, when it was merged with the neighbouring Borough of Gillingham
to form a new unitary authority
of Medway
.
An inadvertent effect of the 1998 abolition was the ending of Rochester's historic city status, due to the failure of the outgoing city council to appoint charter trustees
. This only became apparent in 2002.
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1974 to 1998.
The district was formed as the District
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of Medway under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
on 1 April 1974, as a merger of the municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
and city of Rochester, the borough of Chatham and most of Strood Rural District
Strood Rural District
Strood Rural District was a rural district in the county of Kent, England.It was subject to boundary reforms in 1934 and 1935.It consisted of the following civil parishes:*Allhallows...
. The district council was granted a charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
entitling it to be known as the Borough of Medway, and preserving the mayoralties of Rochester and Chatham.
Name change and city status
On creation in 1974 the new Medway Borough Council applied to inherit the city statusCity status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
of Rochester
Municipal Borough of Rochester
Rochester was a local government district with the status of borough and city in Kent, England, from 1835 to 1974.Rochester held city status from an early time and was an ancient borough...
, but this was refused. Instead, special letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
were granted on 18 March 1974, which declared that the existing area would continue to constitute the City of Rochester, notwithstanding its abolition as a local government authority. In rejecting the council's application, the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
noted that it might be possible to extend city status to the entire borough in the future, provided that "Rochester" feature in its name.
On 3 December 1979 the Medway Borough Council passed a resolution renaming the district as the Borough of Rochester-upon-Medway, and on 25 January 1982 further letters patent were issued declaring that in future:
...the whole of the said Borough and not the said part of the Borough as heretofore should have the name style and status of a City...
Accordingly the district became the City of Rochester-upon-Medway.
Abolition
Following a review by the Local Government Commission for EnglandLocal Government Commission for England (1992)
The Local Government Commission for England was the body responsible for reviewing the structure of local government in England from 1992 to 2002. It was established under the Local Government Act 1992, replacing the Local Government Boundary Commission for England...
, the city was abolished on 1 April 1998, when it was merged with the neighbouring Borough of Gillingham
Gillingham, Kent
Gillingham is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. The town includes the settlements of Brompton, Hempstead, Rainham, Rainham Mark and Twydall....
to form a new unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
.
An inadvertent effect of the 1998 abolition was the ending of Rochester's historic city status, due to the failure of the outgoing city council to appoint charter trustees
Charter Trustees
In England and Wales, charter trustees are set up to maintain the continuity of a town charter or city charter after a district with the status of a borough or city has been abolished, until such time as a parish council is established...
. This only became apparent in 2002.