The offices of the mayor, aldermen, and common councillors developed during the Middle Ages.

The South Glamorgan County Council provided county-level services in the area.

Ahead of the reforms the county council had campaigned for a new "Greater Cardiff" authority to reflect the boundaries of South Glamorgan, but the Conservative government of the time decided to keep the Vale of Glamorgan (which covered a marginal Conservative parliamentary seat) separate from Cardiff.

Political control of the council since 1996 has been held by the following parties:[10] The role of Lord Mayor of Cardiff is largely ceremonial.

Political leadership is provided instead by the leader of the council, although the two roles were temporarily combined between 1999 and 2003.

[12] Following the 2022 election and subsequent changes of allegiance up to July 2024, the composition of the council was:[13] Common Ground is an alliance of Plaid Cymru and the Greens, with its candidates standing for both parties as "Plaid Cymru, Green Party, Common Ground".

The Liberal Democrats ran a minority administration from 2004, in coalition with Plaid Cymru.

The Lib Dems increased their total number of councillors to 35, forming an administration with Plaid Cymru, with Rodney Berman as leader of the Council.

Three independent councillors were elected; two former Conservatives who had left the group in 2006 being joined by an additional member.

[16] City Hall closed for refurbishment in 2023 but is planned to be brought back into use as the council's meeting place once the work is complete, although this may not be until 2026.