It was created in 1968 to cover the Teesside conurbation which had grown up around the various port and industrial towns near the mouth of the River Tees.

Prior to 1968 the area was governed by the six separate authorities of Billingham, Eston, Middlesbrough, Redcar, Stockton-on-Tees and Thornaby-on-Tees.

A continuous conurbation had built up around the mouth of the river, increasing greatly in population from the nineteenth century during the Industrial Revolution.

The commission published draft proposals for the North Eastern General Review Area in April 1962 and a final report in October 1963.

[5] The report recommended the creation of a single county borough for the Teesside area as it: ...seemed to us necessary to ensure that the pattern of local government was such as to make the planning of development and the organisation of services fully effective, and to make certain that new development, such as houses, main roads, bridges and shops would match the growth and location of industry instead of perpetuating the patterns of the past.

We were impressed by the need on Tees-side for more housing to relieve overcrowding, to replace outworn properties, and to meet the increase in population due to industrial expansion.

Sir Timothy Kitson, Member of Parliament for the Yorkshire constituency of Richmond, set out the losses to the North Riding: the administrative county was to lose about 25% of its population (reduced from about 428,000 to 318,000), and about 40% of its rateable value (down from £15.8 to £9.3 million).

Part of Preston-on-Tees was added to include Preston Hall, an art gallery and museum owned by Stockton Corporation within the county borough.

[6] In January 1967, Anthony Greenwood, Minister of Housing and Local Government, made the Teesside Order 1967 to carry the recommendations into effect.

[7] Following its passing by both Houses of Parliament, the order came into effect, with the first election to the new borough council taking place in May 1967, serving as a shadow authority until it came into its full powers on 1 April 1968.

Sir William Crosthwaite, who had served as Middlesbrough's mayor on five occasions, presented a new gold ceremonial mace to the corporation.

The maces of the former boroughs of Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar and Thornaby along with the orders of constitution of the urban district councils of Eston and Billingham were handed over to the new authority for safekeeping.

The county borough corporation was granted armorial bearings by the College of Arms on 26 March 1968. the arms were blazoned as follows:[14] Argent an ancient ship sails furled pennons flying Sable, on a chief Azure on a pale Sable fimbriated and between two crucibles Argent a basilisk Or.

Supporters: On the dexter side a lion Or resting the interior hind paw on three ingots of steel Proper and on the sinister side a seahorse Argent scales, dorsal fin and tail Or, each collared Azure thereon a barrulet wavy Argent .The whole upon a compartment per pale of a grassy mount and waves of the sea Proper.

It was originally envisaged that the new county borough would form a joint constabulary with the North Riding under the provisions of the Police Act 1964.

By the time the order creating the borough was passing through parliament, the Redcliffe-Maud Commission had been appointed to completely review local government structures in England and Wales.

Do they think that these Measures – one or two orders a week presented to Parliament during farcical morning sittings at which the honourable gentlemen opposite do not bother to turn up to support their Ministers represent dynamic local government policy?