Tyne and Wear County Council was abolished in 1986, just 12 years after its creation. It was one of 6 metropolitan county councils abolished by the Local Government Act of 1985. However, the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear continues to exist in law and in official statistics. The 5 as a geographic metropolitan boroughs within Tyne and Wear (Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside & Sunderland ) became unitary authorities.