South Gloucestershire

South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, South West England. The majority of its population lies in the towns and villages of the Greater Bristol urban area surrounding the city of Bristol, including Kingswood, Staple Hill, Warmley, Filton, Patchway, Bradley Stoke, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield and Emersons Green. It is also home to standalone towns including Yate, Chipping Sodbury, and Thornbury.

South Gloucestershire was created in 1996 to replace the Northavon district and Borough of Kingswood of the abolished county of Avon. It is separate from Gloucestershire County Council, but is part of the ceremonial county and shares Gloucestershire's Lord Lieutenant (the Sovereign's representative to the county). Because of its history as part of the county of Avon, South Gloucestershire works closely with the other unitary authorities that took over when that county was abolished, including shared services such as Avon Fire and Rescue Service and Avon and Somerset Police, together with co-operation in planning strategy for transport, roads and housing.