In the last years of the nineteenth century two District Councils were constituted to serve the Tavistock area - the Urban District Council and the Rural District Council. Quite early in its history the Urban District Council added to its statutory duties by assuming responsibility for a large amount of property previously in the ownership of the Duke of Bedford.

In 1966 the Urban District Council was swallowed up by the Rural District Council, and the augmented Rural District Council proceeded to shoulder responsibility for both Town and Rural areas. A Parish Council was constituted for the old Urban District Council area, with limited statutory powers but inheriting the substantial property holdings and the powers and responsibilities attached to that ownership. In 1974 a major local government re-organisation resulted in the replacement of the Tavistock Rural District Council by a larger unit, West Devon District Council (later to be called the West Devon Borough Council). The opportunity was taken by the local Parish Council to rename itself 'Tavistock Town Council', and to designate its Chairman the 'Town Mayor', with the annual Parish Meeting becoming the 'Town Meeting'. The Duke of Bedford's legacy makes Tavistock Town Council unique as a Civic Parish level council, and a major property owner in the town and local area.