[5] In 1848 the town was also incorporated as a municipal borough, after which it was governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Wakefield", generally known as the corporation or town council.

[6] The larger metropolitan district of Wakefield and its council were created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972.

It covered the whole area of eleven former districts and parts of another two, which were all abolished at the same time:[8][9] The new Wakefield district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Wakefield's series of mayors dating back to 1848.

[15] From 1974 until 1986 Wakefield was a district-level authority, with West Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services.

As a metropolitan district council, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council provides most local government functions directly, including collecting Council Tax and business rates, town planning, housing, waste collection and environmental health, social services, libraries and waste disposal.

Wakefield Council is the billing authority for Council Tax, and collects precepts on behalf of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the West Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority.

[18] Wakefield Council has been a constituent member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority since 2014.

Labour has held a majority of the seats on the council since 1974:[19][20] The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Wakefield.

The leaders since 1998 have been:[21] Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was:[22] The independent sits in a group with two of the Conservatives.