and at the most local level, Clapham and Streatham neighbourhoods to join Lambeth. The slightly amended form was laid before Parliament for substantive debates from November 1962 until April 1963. This proposed the eventually settled 32 more empowered boroughs forming a new administrative county. Support Ministerial proponents of the Bill advanced its smooth passage summarising the Royal Commission's Report: Opposition The leaders and all members of the Opposition in both houses saw the Bill as being partisan, opposed London's re-casting and celebrated its predecessor: Five Conservative MPs (for North-West Croydon, South Croydon, Carshalton, Wimbledon and East Surrey) sympathised with a petition from 20,000 to 30,000 people from Croydon and two hillside semi-rural towns not to join London. Former Labour Home Secretary James Chuter Ede, a retired Surrey magistrate and county councillor, co-led the opposition in Committee, having met residents who were all "resolutely and determinedly opposed to the Bill." He was instrumental in getting his own area, Epsom and Ewell, completely excluded. Charles Doughty, MP for East Surrey (including Coulsdon and Purley), prophesied that "A shotgun marriage of the kind proposed in the Bill between Coulsdon, Purley and [the Borough of] Croydon can never be successful...The affinities of Coulsdon and Purley go south, not to the north and east. This is a very bad part of the Bill." The Bill passed, and the boundaries including this fusion, have lasted since 1 April 1965. Subsequent amendments Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 provided a mechanism for councils to change their names: the London Borough of Hammersmith and the London Borough of Barking changed their names after their creation to contain a second locality, to form the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Local Government Act 1985 The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the Greater London Council and transferred its functions to the London borough councils, joint arrangements and to central government. The Inner London Education Authority continued to exist as a directly elected authority. Education Reform Act 1988 The Education Reform Act 1988 abolished the Inner London Education Authority and made the inner London boroughs education authorities. Greater London Authority Act 1999 The Greater London Authority Act 1999 created the Greater London Authority as a replacement for the Greater London Council. References External links Text of London Government Act 1963 London Boroughs map United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1963 1963