There are currently 21 county councils in England, covering areas known as non-metropolitan counties and divided into a number of non-metropolitan districts, which each have a district council.^[1] The first county councils were created in 1889. The Local Government Act 1888 established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales. There was a significant reform of the number, powers and jurisdictions of county councils in 1974. Their number has been decreasing further due to incremental reforms carried out between 1986 and 2023.

• ^Cambs : 1st creation 1889—1965; 2nd creation 1974—present
• ^Worcs : 1st creation 1889—1974; 2nd creation 1998—present
• ^Mon : Monmouthshire considered part of Wales from 1974.

• Unitary authorities of England