Established in May 2002 by Order of the Secretary of State. The Town Council area is subdivided into five Wards and each Ward is represented by three Town Councillors. The total population was 10,500 with an electorate of 6633 until 1st April 2004 when boundary changes included an area known as Stonemoor bottom within the Town Council area. Stonemoor Bottom was originally included with Hapton Parish Council.

The Town Council meets at 7.00pm on the first Monday of each month except when it is a Bank Holiday, the meeting is then held on the second Monday of the month. Meetings are open to the public and are held in the Council Chamber at Padiham Town Hall . A working group and a number of subgroups have been established each with different terms of reference in addition to a Planning Committee, that meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7.00pm and is a public meeting.