The population of the borough was 44,098 in 1951 and 50,293 in 1961. Present The borough was abolished on 1 April 1974 and St Albans became part of the new, larger St Albans City and District. City status was transferred to the entire district by letters patent dated 9 July 1974. Local government services are now provided by Hertfordshire County Council (strategic services) and St Albans City and District Council. Eight local parish councils (limited local services) cover the parts of St Albans City and District that were previously in St Albans Rural District and Harpenden Urban District, but the area that was St Albans Borough prior to 1974 is an unparished area. Within this area, (the Ashley, Batchwood, Clarence, Cunningham, Marshalswick South, St Peters, Sopwell and Verulam wards) a City Neighbourhood Committee of the district council was set up in June 2013 with comparable responsibilities to parish councils for small parks, playgrounds, open spaces, war memorials, allotments and public conveniences. The City and District Council built a new civic centre in 1989 adjoining the 1960s City Hall complex, which became known instead as the Alban Arena. Parliamentary representation St Albans is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Established in 1885, it is a county constituency in Hertfordshire, and elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Geography Climate St Albans has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) similar to most of the United Kingdom. Neighbourhoods Batchwood Bernards Heath Chiswell Green Cell Barnes Cottonmill Fleetville Hill End Jersey Farm Marshalswick (also extends into Sandridge parish) New Greens Sopwell St Julians St Stephens (not to be confused with St Stephen) The Camp Townsend Nearby towns and villages Other nearby towns: Borehamwood, Luton, Stevenage, Berkhamsted, Barnet (historically a separate town, a London borough since the 1960s) Nearby villages: Abbots Langley, Kings Langley, Bricket Wood, Colney Heath, Elstree, Frogmore, Lemsford, London Colney, Markyate, Park Street, Radlett, Redbourn, Sandridge, Wheathampstead, Shenley Nearby hamlets: Chiswell Green, Colney Street Transport Road St Albans is northeast of the intersection between the M1 and M25 motorways. Access from the north is by junction 8 of the M1 while access from the south is by junction 6. Access from the west is by junction 21A of the M25 while access from the east is by junction 22. The A414 road runs