The elections due to take place in May 2008 were cancelled, with councillors staying in office until the abolition of the council in 2009.

[10][11] In 1996 they were supplanted by the Labour Party as the largest grouping on the council, in a year that saw a strong vote against the unpopular Conservative government of John Major.

[13] The Conservatives staged a recovery in 2000, taking 10 seats from Labour and the Liberal Democrats, and again gaining a plurality of councillors.

† New ward boundaries On 27 November 1976 South Bedfordshire District Council was granted armorial bearings by the College of Arms.

The arms combined elements from the devices of the three merged councils, and were blazoned as follows: Or a pile gules over all a single-arched bridge throughout argent masoned sable the keystone charged with an ear of wheat between on the pile three sickles proper all within a bordure engrailed sable; and for a Crest on a wreath of the colours out of a mural crown argent masoned sable in front of a demi-Bull three cog-wheels in fesse Or; and for a Badge or Device: Upon a roundel embattled gules irradiated with rays of the sun a demi-bull rampant couped Or.

The bridge across the centre of the shield was from the arms of Leighton Linslade UDC, and the sickles from those of Luton RDC.