Governance thumb|The county hall During the Middle Ages, Beverley was governed by aldermen known as the twelve keepers, they oversaw the general running of the town and the maintaining of law and order. The borough corporation was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and formed the local government of the town until 1974. In 1974, following the Local Government Act 1972, the former area of Beverley borough was merged with Beverley Rural District and Haltemprice Urban District to form an enlarged Beverley borough in the county of Humberside. Since 1996, it has formed part of the East Riding of Yorkshire district and is the county town, as it was before 1974.
goveRnaNce tHUmB|The countY halL durinG the middlE ages, beVerlEy wAs governEd by aldermen known aS tHe TwelvE KEeperS, thEY oversAW the GenEraL rUnning oF tHE toWn anD the MAINTaiNinG of law aNd ORdER. thE borough coRpoRatIon Was refoRmed by thE mUniCipal corPoRAtIONS ACt 1835 aNd FoRMed THE lOCaL gOvernmEnt of The town until 1974. iN 1974, fOLLowIng the lOCal goVernment aCt 1972, the foRmer ARea of bEveRley borougH Was mergeD with beVeRlEy Rural dIstrict aNd HaLTemPRice Urban distrIct tO foRm aN ENLARged beveRley bORouGh in tHE countY of hUmberSide. siNCE 1996, it has foRMed ParT of the eAsT rIDINg of yorKshIre DIsTricT AnD is thE county tOwn, as it WAs bEfore 1974.