The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a metropolitan borough of the county of West Midlands, England. It is named after Walsall, its administrative headquarters. Other major towns on the borough include Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Darlaston, Streetly and Willenhall. The current boundaries of the borough were set in April 1, 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 came into force. The former county borough of Walsall took in Aldridge-Brownhills urban district from Staffordshire and became a metropolitan district of the West Midlands. In 1986 the Walsall borough became an effective unitary authority when the West Midlands County Council was abolished. However it remains part of the West Midlands for ceremonial purposes, and for functions such as policing, fire and public transport.