Relief for the poor has been in existence since the sixth century but the Poor Law Act of 1834 created legal Poor Law Unions. Madron was included in the Penzance Union which built the Penzance Union Workhouse in 1839.
Public health had become a concern and a Local Board to deal with this was set up in Madron in 1863 to ensure a proper water supply, drainage, healthy houses, inspection of food, prevention and removal of nuisances, proper provision for burials and the suppression of causes of disease. This Local Board gave way to Madron Urban District Council in 1894.
The Urban District Council was downgraded to a Parish Council in 1934 due to the enlargement of Penzance and the changes under the Local Government Act of 1929 and this is the base for the present Madron Parish Council.
Madron Parish Council is in fact a misnomer, as it covers the two wards of Madron and Gulval.