The local authority in Aberystwyth dates back to the grant of the Borough Charter in 1277. Aberystwyth Borough Council came into being in 1835, but became Aberystwyth Town Council after the re-organization of local government in 1974, when its assets and many of its powers were transferred to Dyfed County Council and Ceredigion District Council. (In 1996, when Dyfed was abolished, the district council assumed its powers and was reconstituted as Ceredigion County Council.) Today, Aberystwyth Town Council retains a wide range of responsibilities for the provision of public services in the area, and it holds the Borough Charter in trust for the town.
The chapters Under the Charters, the Court Leet, Early Improvements and Modern History 1872-1974 were taken (with permission) from the book Aberystwyth Borough 1277 — 1974. The original text was written by Howard C. Jones and was published by the Cambrian News (Aberystwyth) Ltd. The text has been modified in order to bring it up-to-date. The current copyright holder is Cambrian Printers Limited.