The metropolitan borough of North Tyneside was created in 1974 by a merger of the county borough of Tynemouth along with the borough of Wallsend, part of the borough of Whitley Bay, the urban district of Longbenton and part of the urban district of Seaton Valley, all of which were in Northumberland. The Northth Tyneside counciltook over the operation of the children's homes in the new area. These were initially nine in number but by 1984, just three were still in use — those at Clyde Avenue, Hebburn; at Lanark Drive, Jarrow; and at Owen Drive, West Boldon.