The council has been under no overall control since 2023, being run by a Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition.

[5] The districts of Kingswood and Northavon and the county of Avon had been created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and so were only in existence for 22 years.

Avon was abolished in 1996 and four unitary authorities established to govern the former county.

The way the 1996 change was implemented was to create both a non-metropolitan district and non-metropolitan county called South Gloucestershire, covering the combined area of Kingswood and Northavon, but with no separate county council.

[6][7] South Gloucestershire Council provides both district-level and county-level functions.

[8] The whole district is covered by civil parishes, which form the first tier of local government.