Borough of Warrington: History
The borough was historically split between the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire.
The whole part of the borough (north of the River Mersey) was within the historic boundaries of the county of Lancashire which includes the town of Warrington, and the areas of Latchford, Great Sankey, Culcheth, Glazebury, Burtonwood and Birchwood.
The whole part of the borough (south of the River Mersey) was within the historic boundaries of the county of Cheshire which includes the villages of Lymm, Stockton Heath, Appleton Thorn and Stretton.
In 1974, local government reforms saw many old counties and districts abolished and new counties and districts were created. Warrington along with the neighboring town of Widnes was moved into the county of Cheshire (which saw the entire area from the border with Speke/Widnes to Glazebury/Cadishead moved into the county of Cheshire). The current borough was formed from the County Borough of Warrington, the wards of Culcheth and Newchurch in Golborne Urban District, Warrington Rural District and part of the parish of Bold in Whiston Rural District, in Lancashire and Lymm Urban District and the parishes of Appleton, Grappenhall, Hatton, Stockton Heath, Stretton and Walton from Runcorn Rural District in Cheshire. The M62 motorway forms a border with both Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
The borough became a unitary authority in 1998 alongside Halton making it separate from the-then Cheshire County Council before the 2009 restructuring of local government which saw the county council abolished and replaced by two new unitary authorities, Cheshire East and Cheshire West (and Chester). All four unitary authorities still form Cheshire for ceremonial purposes and share local services.