The county council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to Greater Manchester's ten borough councils, including Stockport, with some services provided through joint committees.

The combined authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across Greater Manchester, notably regarding transport and town planning, but Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.

Some strategic functions in the area are provided by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority; the leader of Stockport Council sits on the combined authority as Stockport's representative.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows:[18][19] The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Stockport.

The leaders since 1974 have included:[20][21] Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was:[22] Three of the four independent councillors sit together as the 'Independent Ratepayers Group'; those three are all sponsored by the Heald Green Ratepayers, which is not formally registered as a political party.

The cabinet of the consists of eight councillors:[25] Full council meetings are held at Stockport Town Hall on Wellington Road South, which had been completed in 1908 for the old Stockport Borough Council.

[26] An additional office block called Stopford House was built on Piccadilly (backing onto the Town Hall) in 1975.

[27] Another adjoining office building called Fred Perry House on Edward Street was completed in 2011, named after tennis player Fred Perry (1909–1995) who was from Stockport.