The town is located within the civil parish of Church Stretton, and is administered by a parish council called Church Stretton Town council. The parish (and the town council) also cover the neighbouring villages of All Stretton, Little Stretton, and the hamlets of Minton and Hamperley, and other outlying settlements including Botvyle and part of Marshbrook. The parish has an area of and is divided into four wards: Church Stretton North (represented by four councillors on the town council), Church Stretton South (represented by five councillors), All Stretton and Little Stretton (each represented by two councillors). Between 1966 and 2002, the parish council was not termed a town council and there was no mayor, a situation which was remedied by a resolution of the council in May 2001.