The Borough of Poole is the local authority for Poole in Dorset, England. Poole was first given borough status in 1342, and in 1568, it was granted legal independence from Dorchester and Dorset jurisdiction when made a county corporate by Elizabeth I. Following the Local Government Act 1972 the borough became a non-metropolitan district on 1 April 1974 and once again fell under the jurisdiction of Dorset, although a charter granted by Queen Elizabeth II allowed the council to retain its historic titles and privileges. On 1 April 1997, the council was made a unitary authority following a review by the Local Government Commission for England (1992) and became once again administratively independent from Dorset.

The local authority for the borough of Poole is Poole Borough Council. For local elections, 42 councillors are elected across 16 wards and elections take place every four years. The last election took place in May 2011, resulting in no overall control The Council is made up of 21 Conservative, 18 Liberal Democrat and 3 Poole People councillors. Following these elections, a Conservative minority administration was formed with a cabinet of seven councillors who are responsible for deciding how the Council's strategies and policies are implemented and how the budget is spent. The Council Leader is Elaine Atkinson (Conservative). The Mayor is Graham Wilson, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Newtown ward since 1996. The Sheriff, a position created by the town's charter of 1568 and just one of 15 Sheriffs in the country, is Conservative councillor Carol Evans.

Coordinates: 50°43′N 1°59′W / 50.717°N 1.983°W / 50.717; -1.983

Poole ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is 33 kilometres (21 mi) east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council. The town had a population of 138,288 according to the 2001 census, making it the second largest settlement in Dorset. Together with Bournemouth and Christchurch, the town forms the South East Dorset conurbation with a total population of over 400,000.

Human settlement in the area dates back to before the Iron Age. The earliest recorded use of the town’s name was in the 12th century when the town began to emerge as an important port, prospering with the introduction of the wool trade. In later centuries the town had important trade links with North America and at its peak in the 18th century it was one of the busiest ports in Britain. During the Second World War the town was one of the main departing points for the D-Day landings of the Normandy Invasion.