Tyne and Wear, former metropolitan county, NE England. Created in the 1974 local government reorganization, the county embraced the Newcastle upon Tyne conurbation and comprised five metropolitan districts (metropolitan boroughs): Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, and Sunderland. Tyne and Wear was abolished in 1986, and the districts became responsible for all services except police, fire, and civil defense, which are supervised jointly. It remains a ceremonial county under the Lieutenancies Act.
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