Some local government areas have been granted city status on the basis of population
I am active on my city council. Interesting. Do you like being active on the legislative body responsible for governing the city? Yes, I am one of the ten members. Good. Did you know that it can also be called town council, board of aldermen or town board ? I heard those named before. What else do you know?
However, it is generally only those local government areas which have been specifically granted city status (usually on a basis of population) that are entitled to refer to themselves as cities.