The parish of Kilburn for civil and administrative purposes covers a very different area from the ecclesiastical parish that includes the village of Oldstead. The Parish Council, as opposed to the Parochial Church Council PCC, is more fully described as "Kilburn High and Low". As well as High Kilburn and Low Kilburn, it includes parts of Osgodby and Hambleton to the north. To the south the boundary covers quite a large number of outlying farms, but falls short of the villages of Carlton Husthwaite, Coxwold and Oldstead. There are fewer than one hundred dwellings in the civil parish and has approximately 175 electors.

The council was set up in the 1890s when all parish councils started, and has run unbroken in its record since that time.

The Council composes five members who are elected every four years and its officers are appointed, or reappointed annually. Its powers are very limited, its function is to keep watch, and when action needs to be taken for the benefit of the parish, it contacts the individual, or corporate body that can do what is needed. In most cases it is the local authority that has the power, which for Kilburn means North Yorkshire Council. The question of jurisdiction is complicated because half of Kilburn is in the North York Moors National Park, to which many of the functions of the Local Authority have been delegated. The boundary of the National Park runs along the village street, which means, for example, that a planning application by the Village Institute would have to be made to the National Park, whereas an application by a resident living on the other side of the street would be made to North Yorkshire Council.

Planning restrictions are more than ordinarily complicated in Conservation areas and National Parks. The Parish Council is given the opportunity by the planning authorities to see the many applications and to comment on them.

Recently Parish councils have been given greater representation on Local Authority Councils so that the Parishes can have a stronger voice.

The expenses of Kilburn PC are closely monitored by North Yorkshire Council. The parish council submits its annual budget that is charged against the householders of the parish, and collected within the Council Tax mechanism as the Parish Precept.

Kilburn PC has meetings approximately every month, as well as an annual general meeting. The agenda is published in advance on the village notice board and on this website. The general public is admitted to all meetings, which are normally held in the Village Institute, and has the opportunity to make comments and raise any matters. If a matter is sufficiently urgent, or important, the Parish Council calls extra meetings and publicises them accordingly.