BOLTON Council has been told it will soon be allowed to put "Bolton, Lancashire" on street signs - but do you know the history of the county?

First established as a county in 1182, Lancashire takes its name from the city of Lancaster meaning "Roman fort on the River Lune".

The county was divided into the six "hundreds" of Amounderness, Blackburn, Leyland, Lonsdale, Salford — of which Bolton was a member — and West Derby.

Bolton was granted a charter in 1253, and in 1838 the county borough of Bolton was formed with the merging of Great Bolton, Little Bolton and the Tonge with the Haulgh township. It was independent of administration of Lancashire County Council, but remained part of the county for judicial and policing purposes.

On April 1, 1974, Lancashire was reduced as a consequence of the Local Government Act, as Cumbria was created, the south east became Greater Manchester and south west joined Merseyside.

On November 27 Lancashire Day is marked every year, marking the day in 1295 when Lancashire sent its first representatives to Parliament. Back in 2008 Bolton Council resolved to commemorate it every year, following a campaign by Cllr Walsh.

TOWNS IN GREATER MANCHESTER

Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan.

GMC vs AGMA

From 1974, the Greater Manchester County Council was created as a "top tier" local government authority, in charge of regional public transport, planning, emergency services and waste disposal.

Its aim was to "harmonise" the efforts of the 10 Greater Manchester authorities — of which Bolton is a member — and give strategic planning.

However in 1986 it was abolished and replaced with the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AMGA), in a bid to give more power back to local councils.

A voluntary organisation, AGMA now coordinates economic development, housing, planning and health, but its decisions depend on the input of member councils.