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There are three Councils in Bury St Edmunds. Each of which provides a different set of services:
1. Town Council
2. St Edmundsbury Borough Council
3. Suffolk County Council

The Town Council exists especially to look after the interests of the residents of Bury St Edmunds.

After the local government reorganisation in 1974 Bury St Edmunds did not have a Town Council. The Bury St Edmunds Town Council was reformed on 01 May 2003 and replaced the Bury St Edmunds Town Area Forum.

The Bury St Edmunds Town Council provides allotments, some of the hanging baskets and planters that brighten our Town and dog hygiene, litter and salt/grit bins.

Town Councillors also keep a very close eye on planning applications and developments in Bury St Edmunds and do their best to make sure the views of local residents are taken into account. They act as a pressure group for the people, highlighting local issues and sometimes helping to prevent the District and County Councils from introducing changes that local people are opposed to.

In addition to supporting local people through campaigns, the Town Council can assist residents’ organisations to help themselves. For example, a considerable number of community

groups have been helped to achieve their aims by a grant from the Town Council. The Mayors’ Charities have benefited from fund raising events such as Quiz nights and Casino nights.

The Town Council has the power to provide money which can be used to obtain very substantial match funding for large projects such as leisure centres. During the year the Town Council organises events such as the Christmas Lights Switch-On which is fun for residents and, by bringing visitors in, boosts the local economy.

The Council has worked in partnership with Town Centre Management, has given funding to Bury-In-Bloom, the Bury Festival, the Christmas Fayre and the Street Wardens; is patron of St Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir; sponsors the Bury St Edmunds Junior Tennis Tournament; has supported the Citizenship Foundation, Fair Trade, the Past and Present Society Competition and Spanton Jarman Collection archiving; has re-established the Coat of Arms; had representation on the Local Strategic Partnership; established the Manor House Museum Steering Group; has responsibility for Street Naming; employs a Town Keeper whose role continues to expand with inspections of Allotments, Woodland Nature Reserve in partnership with Suffolk County Council and reports on matters of concern to residents across the town; promotes the Safer Neighbourhoods Scheme; initiated a Town Plan; commissioned a Town Guide and Map; organised public meetings, free seminars, a swim bus and a “Hop ‘N’ Shop” bus; worked with stake holders to improve transport & buses. It has responsibility for two of the Town’s War Memorials as well as the wonderful Nativity Sculpture and gained Quality Town Status in 2005.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council provides services in its local areas such as: electoral registers; environmental health; housing; leisure centres; licensing; local planning and building control; rubbish collection.

Suffolk County Council is responsible for major services which are provided countywide. These include: Business and Trading Standards - enforcing fair trading laws, protecting consumers and giving advice; Education and learning - schools, evening classes for adults, youth clubs and higher education grants; Environment - conservation of the countryside and public access to it, waste disposal and archaeological services; Leisure and culture - library services, archives and support for arts and museums; Public safety - fire fighting, rescue and emergency services, safety advice; Registration of births, marriages and deaths; Social care - care for older people who are physically or mentally infirm, or have a mental health problem, those with physical or learning disabilities and children and families who need protection and support; Transport and streets - maintaining and improving Suffolk's roads, footpaths and public rights of way, road safety, public transport co-ordination.

Responsibility for other services is shared between the county council and borough council and these include: conservation; economic promotion; emergency planning; museums and the arts; public transport; street cleaning; tourism.

Other public services

Local health services (health trusts, ambulances, clinics, hospitals) are the responsibility of Suffolk Primary Care Trust

The Police Service is the responsibility of Suffolk Constabulary.

Social security benefits (for example Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, pensions) are the responsibility of the Benefits Agency.