The county of Avon was created in 1974 as part of a reorganisation of local government in England and Wales. The new county took in the cities of Bristol and Bath, together with parts of Gloucestershire and Somerset. The new Avon Council took over the operation of social services in the county, including several children's homes previously run by the Bristol City Council.

Avon was abolished in 1996 and was split into four new unitary authority areas: Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire.