Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced that 19 of the 55 Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) public bodies are to be axed or reformed.

Among the agencies to be shut are the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and the UK Film Council, both of which had previously been earmarked for closure. UK Sport is to merge with Sport England, while the DCMS is still working with the Youth Sport Trust over the possible integration of it within the new structure.

Cycling England and the Football Licensing Authority are to be abolished, while the Theatres Trust is to be declassified in order to work as an independent agency. English Heritage; VisitBritain; Arts Council England; the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF); and a number of museums will be retained as part of the proposals - part of a wider cull of nearly 200 quangos.

HLF chair Dame Jenny Abramsky said: "We will continue to work independently across the entire UK with a range of partners in various sectors. "In England, we have committed to working even more closely with English Heritage as a result of this review, to ensure that our respective roles are defined as clearly as possible."

British Waterways (BW) will be replaced by a charitable agency, while the Forestry Commission is to be retained but will undergo a "substantial reform". BW chair Tony Hales said: "Moving the waterways from public ownership into a charitable body marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in [the waterways'] 250-year history."

The future of more than 900 agencies had been under the microscope as part of efforts to cut public spending, although there are some futures to be resolved, including the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. Hunt said: "Across government we are increasing the efficiency, transparency and accountability of public bodies, while at the same time cutting their number and cost.

"These changes will allow us to continue to deliver some of the world's best culture, media and sport, while at the same time ensuring efficiency, transparency and better value for money for the public."