It covered the whole area of seven former districts and most of an eighth, which were all abolished at the same time.

All the constituent parts of the new district had been in the administrative county of Monmouthshire prior to the reforms.

Gwent County Council provided county-level services for the new Monmouth District.

[3] The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974.

Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 1996 was held by the following parties:[4] The headquarters of the district council was at Mamhilad House, Pontypool, part of the British Nylon Spinners factory site.