the ceremonial county of somerset consists of a non-metropolitan county, administered by somerset county council, which is divided into five districts, and two unitary authorities. the districts of somerset are west somerset, south somerset, taunton deane, mendip and sedgemoor. the two administratively independent unitary authorities, which were established on 1 april 1996 following the breakup of the county of avon, are north somerset and bath and north east somerset. these unitary authorities include areas that were once part of somerset before the creation of avon in 1974.