City of York: History
The unitary authority area was formed on 1 April 1996 by creating a new non-metropolitan district and coterminous non-metropolitan county, both called York, and the City of York Council by creating a new district council with the powers of a county council. The area was created from parts of the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire: the entirety of the non-metropolitan district of York, four parishes from the district of Harrogate, fifteen parishes from the district of Ryedale, and thirteen parishes from the district of Selby. It ceased to be part of the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire, but remained part of the ceremonial county of the same name.
The 1974–1996 district of York had itself replaced a county borough with the same boundaries. As the abolition of the previous district also abolished its city status and the right of the mayor and deputy mayor to style themselves "The Right Honourable", on 1 April 1996 new letters patent were issued conferring this status and right on the new district.