Operating in smaller towns and cities, they exercised limited functions which were subsidiary to those of their relevant county council.
After a period of public consultation, the application was considered by the county council for the area in which the town is situated.
Councillors were elected by the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
A town council with nine members could apply for the number to be increased to twelve if the population was greater than 15,000 at the previous census.
However, Schedule 8 of the Local Government Act 2001 allowed alternative titles for the individuals elected to chair town councils, namely: