It swept away the counties, burghs and districts established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947,[1] which were largely based on units of local government dating from the Middle Ages, and replaced them with a uniform two-tier system of regional and district councils (except in the islands, which were given unitary, all-purpose councils).

In England and Wales, the Local Government Act 1972 established a similar system of two-tier administrative county and district councils.

The act also established the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland, with the remit to make proposals to the Secretary of State for effecting changes which it thought desirable in the interests of effective and convenient local government.

[citation needed] However, the sheer size of some regions meant that it became cumbersome to administer all functions on a region-wide basis.

(Scotland) Act 1994 came into effect, abolishing the regions and districts and replacing them with 32 unitary authorities.