Durham County Council elections are held every four years. Durham County Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of County Durham. The county council was first created in 1889 as an upper-tier authority, had its powers and territory reformed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and became a unitary authority in 2009, when the lower-tier district councils in the area were abolished. Since becoming a unitary authority, 126 councillors have been elected from 63 wards.[1]
Durham was the first county council to be controlled by Labour, who took power in 1919. Prior to 1974 political control was held by the following parties:[2]
Administrative county
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1919–1922 | |
No overall control (Labour minority) | 1922–1925 | |
Labour | 1925–1974 |
Non-metropolitan county
The first election to the reformed county council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:[3][4][5]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1973–2009 |
Unitary authority
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 2009–2021 | |
No overall control | 2021–present |
The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:[6]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ken Manton[7] | Labour | 2001 | 10 May 2006 | |
Albert Nugent | Labour | 10 May 2006 | 23 May 2008 | |
Simon Henig | Labour | 23 May 2008 | 26 May 2021 | |
Amanda Hopgood | Liberal Democrats | 26 May 2021 |
Election | Labour | Conservative | Liberal Democrat[a] | Independent | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1973[8] | 56 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 72[9] |
1977[10] | 41 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 72 |
1981[11] | 53 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 72 |
1985[12] | 50 | 5 | 7[b] | 10[c] | 72 |
1989[13] | 56 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 72 |
1993[14] | 56 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 72 |
1997[15] | 53 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 61 |
2001[16] | 53 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 61 |
2005[17] | 53 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 63 |
2008[18] | 67 | 10 | 27 | 22 | 126 |
2013[19] | 94 | 4 | 9 | 19 | 126 |
2017 | 74 | 10 | 14 | 28 | 126 |
2021 | 53 | 24 | 17 | 32 | 126 |
2005 results map
2008 results map
2013 results map
2017 results map
2021 results map
Prior to the formation of the unitary authority in 2009, the county was divided into a number of second tier districts. The following articles detail the local elections to those district councils. The Borough of Darlington has formed a unitary authority outside the area covered by the County Council since 1997.
The following is an incomplete list of by-elections to Durham County Council.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | 689 | 42.9 | +1.2 | ||
Labour | 601 | 37.4 | -21.0 | ||
Conservative | 318 | 19.8 | +19.8 | ||
Majority | 88 | 5.5 | |||
Turnout | 1,608 | 22.5 | |||
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Reginald Ord | 519 | 37.2 | +2.2 | |
Labour | 500 | 35.8 | -18.3 | ||
Liberal Democrats | 322 | 23.1 | +23.1 | ||
Conservative | 54 | 3.9 | -7.1 | ||
Majority | 19 | 1.4 | |||
Turnout | 1,395 | 22.0 | |||
Independent gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Leslie Vaux | 1,702 | 56.1 | -20.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Rolfe | 566 | 18.7 | +4.3 | |
BNP | Dean McAdam | 509 | 16.8 | +16.8 | |
Conservative | Stuart Tilney | 256 | 8.4 | -0.5 | |
Majority | 1,136 | 37.4 | |||
Turnout | 3,033 | 46.4 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Lethbridge | 1,538 | 66.3 | -2.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jody Dunn | 782 | 33.7 | +9.6 | |
Majority | 756 | 32.6 | |||
Turnout | 2,320 | 43.7 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Abiodun Williams | 834 | 51.6 | +4.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Isobell Lunan | 561 | 34.7 | -9.1 | |
Conservative | Michael Fishwick | 220 | 13.6 | +4.2 | |
Majority | 273 | 16.9 | |||
Turnout | 1,615 | 34.0 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George Burlison | 1,187 | 43.4 | -5.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Redvers Crooks | 1,037 | 37.9 | -2.9 | |
Independent | Ian Rutland | 267 | 9.8 | +9.8 | |
Conservative | Patricia Wynne | 245 | 9.0 | -1.4 | |
Majority | 150 | 5.5 | |||
Turnout | 2,737 | 37.1 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Edwin Mason | 775 | 84.0 | +4.3 | |
Conservative | Lucille Nicholson | 148 | 16.0 | -4.3 | |
Majority | 627 | 68.0 | |||
Turnout | 923 | 18.7 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Colin Carr | 665 | 57.7 | -2.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Sean Kilkenny | 487 | 42.3 | +19.2 | |
Majority | 178 | 15.4 | |||
Turnout | 1,152 | 18.6 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | James Rowlandson | 1,263 | 46.9 | +4.2 | |
Independent | Anthony Cooke | 634 | 23.5 | -20.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Michael Newlands | 479 | 17.8 | +17.8 | |
Labour | Sharon Longcroft | 319 | 11.8 | -1.9 | |
Majority | 629 | 23.4 | |||
Turnout | 2,695 | 38.9 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Alan Barker | 702 | 55.8 | -8.3 | |
Independent | Terry Murray | 311 | 24.7 | +24.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Carole Harrison | 126 | 10.0 | -25.9 | |
Conservative | Mergaret Reid | 120 | 9.5 | +9.5 | |
Majority | 391 | 31.1 | |||
Turnout | 1,259 | 20.9 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Andrea Patterson | 741 | 40.3 | ||
Independent | Ian Hirst | 496 | 27.0 | ||
Wear Valley Independent Group | John Bailey | 360 | 19.6 | ||
Liberal Democrats | David English | 145 | 7.9 | ||
Conservative | Beaty Bainbridge | 54 | 2.9 | ||
Green | Joanne Yelland | 41 | 2.2 | ||
Majority | 245 | 13.3 | |||
Turnout | 1837 | 18.6 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Leanne Kennedy | 693 | 52.3 | +6.2 | |
Seaham Community Party | Robert Arthur | 633 | 47.7 | +10.8 | |
Majority | 60 | 4.6 | |||
Turnout | 1,329 | 21.3 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jude Grant | 1,150 | 65.4 | +15.2 | |
Independent | Maurice Brown | 351 | 20.0 | +20.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Alan Bell | 117 | 6.7 | -3.6 | |
Conservative | Michael Smith | 112 | 6.4 | -12.7 | |
Green | Jonathan Elmer | 29 | 1.6 | +1.6 | |
Majority | 799 | 45.4 | |||
Turnout | 1,759 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | John Higgins | 458 | 64.1 | -9.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Edwin Simpson | 163 | 22.8 | +20.1 | |
North East | Stephen Miles | 74 | 10.3 | +0.3 | |
For Britain | Gareth Fry | 20 | 2.8 | +2.8 | |
Majority | 295 | 41.3 | |||
Turnout | 715 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Beverley Coult | 1,115 | 63.2 | +7.8 | |
Labour | Anne Bonner | 366 | 20.7 | -7.0 | |
Independent | Ryan Drion | 155 | 8.8 | +8.8 | |
Conservative | Richard Lawrie | 128 | 7.3 | -9.6 | |
Majority | 749 | 42.5 | |||
Turnout | 1,764 | ||||
Liberal Democrats hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | James Huntington | 1,257 | 42.7 | +21.5 | |
Labour | Samantha Townsend | 682 | 23.2 | -7.2 | |
UKIP | Alan Breeze | 456 | 15.5 | +3.4 | |
Independent | Robert Ingledew | 415 | 14.1 | -7.0 | |
Conservative | Marie Carter-Robb | 131 | 4.5 | -10.7 | |
Majority | 575 | 19.6 | |||
Turnout | 2,941 | ||||
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Ian Geldard | 489 | 18.7 | +18.7 | |
Labour | Colin Nelson | 420 | 16.1 | -2.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Martin Jones | 373 | 14.3 | -6.0 | |
Independent | Billy McAloon | 358 | 13.7 | +13.7 | |
Independent | Pete Molloy | 332 | 12.7 | -2.1 | |
UKIP | Bob Purvis | 281 | 10.8 | +4.4 | |
Spennymoor Independents | Ronald Highley | 221 | 8.5 | -19.6 | |
Conservative | James Cosslett | 137 | 5.2 | -3.7 | |
Majority | 69 | 2.6 | |||
Turnout | 2,611 | ||||
Independent gain from Spennymoor Independents | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Curtis Bihari | 876 | 41.3 | +6.4 | |
Independent | Glenys Newby | 528 | 24.9 | +24.9 | |
Conservative | David Farry | 348 | 16.4 | -11.9 | |
Independent | Joseph Makepeace | 166 | 7.8 | +7.8 | |
Green | Rebecca Dixon-McWaters | 165 | 7.8 | +7.8 | |
Freedom Alliance | Kaela Banthorpe | 23 | 1.3 | +1.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Bill Thorkildsen | 9 | 0.4 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 348 | 16.4 | |||
Turnout | 2,120 | ||||
Labour gain from Independent | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George Smith | 956 | 56.3 | +12.2 | |
Conservative | Lyndsey Fox | 554 | 32.6 | -10.2 | |
Independent | Nick Brown | 187 | 11.0 | +11.0 | |
Majority | 402 | 23.7 | |||
Turnout | 1,697 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |