Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in north-west England. It was created, like other metropolitan counties, in 1974, and originally had an elected metropolitan authority, the Greater Manchester Council (GMC). The GMC, like other metropolitan authorities and the Greater London Council, was abolished in 1986, and the individual boroughs became effectively unitary authority areas. Some local government functions are co-ordinated by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (which replaced the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities in April 2011).

Metropolitan Boroughs

 * Bolton
 * Bury
 * Oldham
 * Rochdale
 * Stockport
 * Tameside
 * Trafford
 * Wigan
 * City of Manchester
 * City of Salford

LGBT history
James Anderton, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester from 1976 to 1991, became known for his anti-gay views and aggessive policing of the Canal Street area of Manchester.