[5] The modern district and its council were created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, with the first election held in 1973.

To preserve Bedford's ancient mayoralty, the councillors representing wards in the town itself acted as charter trustees.

[8] On 16 October 1975 the district was both renamed North Bedfordshire and granted borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, at which point the charter trustees were abolished.

[10] Following a referendum in 2002, the council chose to have a directly elected mayor as its political leader.

[12] Bedford remains part of the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire for the purposes of lieutenancy.

[13] As a unitary authority, Bedford Borough Council provides both district-level and county-level functions.

Most of the borough is covered by civil parishes, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas.

Political control since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[16][17][18] Lower tier non-metropolitan district Unitary authority Bedford Borough Council is one of a relatively small number of councils in England to have a directly elected mayor as its political leader, having chosen to move to directly-elected mayors following a referendum in 2002.

The 1962 wing of the Town Hall was subsequently demolished and the older part of the building renovated to become Bedford's register office.