The county council came into its powers on 1 April 1974 and established its base at Municipal Buildings in Middlesbrough.

[1] It adopted the motto "Endeavour" to commemorate the name of Captain James Cook's ship, HMS Endeavour, which, in February 1768, was dispatched on a mission to find the postulated continent Terra Australis Incognita (or "unknown southern land") in the south Pacific.

[4] It was replaced with four unitary authorities: Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland.

[6] The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974.

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