The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff (Welsh: Dinas a Sir Caerdydd) is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council consists of 75 councillors, representing 29 electoral wards. The authority is properly styled as The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff or in common use Cardiff Council. No other style is sanctioned for use on Council Documents although it does occasionally appear wrongly as Cardiff County Council on documents and signage. The City & County itself is usually simply referred to as Cardiff.
After the 2004 election, which changed the control of the Council from Labour to No Overall Control, the Liberal Democrats formed a minority administration, led by Cllr Rodney Berman. The Liberal Democrats remained the largest party following the 2008 local election, and formed an administration with Plaid Cymru.
In 2012, the Labour Party took overall control of Cardiff council, and the Liberal Democrat council leader, Rodney Berman, lost his seat.
Elections to Cardiff Council take place every four years. The last election was 3 May 2012.
The council was run by a Labour majority administration between 1995 and 2004. The Liberal Democrats ran a minority administration from 2004-2008. In 2012 Labour regained control of the council.
Following the 2008 local elections in Cardiff there was still no party with an overall majority. The Lib Dems increased their total number of councillors to 35, forming an administration with Plaid Cymru, with Rodney Berman as leader of the Council. The Conservatives replaced Labour as the official opposition. Labour suffered badly, losing 14 councillors. Plaid Cymru gained four councillors. Three independent councillors were elected; two former Conservatives who had left the group in 2006 being joined by an additional member.
Municipal life in Cardiff dates back to the 12th century, when Cardiff was granted borough status by the Earls of Gloucester. The offices of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Councillors developed during the Middle Ages. In 1905, Cardiff became a City, and the Borough Council became a City Council.