[1] There were five towns in the district – Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury – each surrounded by rural parishes.

It was abolished on 1 April 2009 as part of the structural changes to local government in England, when its functions were taken over by the new Wiltshire unitary authority.

West Wiltshire District Council had forty-four members, all elected together for a four-year term of office.

At the parliamentary level, most of the district of West Wiltshire was in the Westbury constituency, with the remaining two parishes coming under Devizes.

Throughout the district's existence, both seats were held by Conservative Members of Parliament, latterly Andrew Murrison (Westbury) and Michael Ancram (Devizes).