since 1999 watford has been divided into 12 wards. each ward has three councillors who are elected for a four-year term. following the 2012 election the political make-up of the council is: liberal democrat 24 seats (including the elected mayor), labour 8 seats, green 3 seats, conservatives 1 seat, independent 1 seat. the council have made twinning links with five towns. the first was mainz, germany, in 1956, and the most recent is pesaro, italy, in 1988; the others are nanterre, novgorod, and wilmington, delaware.