The Criccieth Improvement Act 1873 had created a board of improvement commissioners to govern the town, and to take over the borough's property; and from 1889 they formed a second tier of local government below Carnarfonshire County Council. Under the Local Government Act 1894 the improvement district became an urban district with a directly elected council, while the remainder of the civil parish was renamed Penllyn, and became part of Lleyn Rural District. The urban district was extended between the world wars, taking in parts of Penllyn and Treflys in 1934, followed by part of Llanystumdwy in 1938. Criccieth Urban District was abolished in 1974, and the town became part of Dwyfor District in the new county of Gwynedd, although the town retained limited powers as a community. Dwyfor itself was abolished when Gwynedd became a unitary authority in 1996.