[2] It was reformed in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to become a municipal borough, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Hastings", generally known as the corporation or town council.

[3] On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, the borough became a non-metropolitan district within the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex, giving East Sussex County Council jurisdiction over the town as a higher-tier authority for the first time.

[11][12] The group has criticised the national party's 'micromanaging' of local elections, and its position on the Israel–Hamas war.

[16] Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[17][18] The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Hastings.

[28] The council is based at a modern office building called Muriel Matters House on Breeds Place, overlooking the seafront.

[29] The council was previously based at the Town Hall on Queens Road, which had been built in 1881.