Of them, Derwent Rural District was in the historic East Riding of Yorkshire, while the rest were in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

On 1 April 1996, the parishes of Acaster Malbis, Askham Bryan, Askham Richard, Bishopthorpe, Copmanthorpe, Deighton, Dunnington, Elvington, Fulford, Heslington, Kexby, Naburn and Wheldrake were all transferred from the district to form part of the new City of York unitary authority area.

Settlements in the district of Selby included: In the final elections to the council in 2019, the Conservative Party held a majority on the council, with Labour in opposition.

[2] In July 2021 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that in April 2023, the non-metropolitan county would be reorganised into a unitary authority.

Selby District Council was abolished and its functions were transferred to a new single authority for the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire.