Following the passage of the Municipal Corporations Act in 1852, Carleton County, New Brunswick established its first county council. The council included the parishes of Woodstock, Northampton, Brighton, Simonds, Wicklow, Wakefield, and Kent. H. E. Dibblee and William Lindsay were the first councillors of Woodstock. Parish officers were elected annually and included the following positions: overseer of the poor, commissioner of roads, town clerk, poundkeeper, hog reeve, surveyor of dams, sealer of leather, assessor of rates, surveyor of roads, constable, collector of rates, fence viewer, clerk of the market, boom master, inspector of butter, surveyor of grindstones, and field driver.

The council was responsible for local matters including fines, fees, accounts, and salaries of county officers. They were responsible for the prevention of indecency, the control of the running of large cattle, and the use of slaughter houses within town limits. They were also involved in removing nuisances and providing for ""good rule"" and government. They had custody of the common seal for the municipality, and were in charge of the lock up houses. They also oversaw the poor and regulated public exhibitions. The Carleton County Council was dissolved in 1967.