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]

Political control

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 controlYears
Labour1919–1922
No overall control (Labour minority)1922–1925
Labour1925–1974

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 controlYears
Labour1973–2009

Unitary authority

Party in controlYears
Labour2009–2021
No overall control2021–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:[6]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Ken Manton[7] Labour200110 May 2006
Albert Nugent Labour10 May 200623 May 2008
Simon Henig Labour23 May 200826 May 2021
Amanda Hopgood Liberal Democrats26 May 2021

County council elections

ElectionLabourConservativeLiberal Democrat[lower-alpha 1]Independent Total
1973[8]5626772[9]
1977[10]411471072
1981[11]5376672
1985[12]5057[lower-alpha 2]10[lower-alpha 3]72
1989[13]5675472
1993[14]5666472
1997[15]5322461
2001[16]5324261
2005[17]5325363
2008[18]67102722126
2013[19]944919126
2017 74 10 14 28 126
2021 53 24 17 32 126

County result maps

District council elections

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.

By-election results

The following is an incomplete list of by-elections to Durham County Council.

1997-2008

Bishop Auckland Town By-Election 30 March 2000
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
Burnopfield and Dipton By-Election 28 November 2002[20]
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
Stanley By-Election 17 July 2003
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
Woodhouse Close By-Election 26 February 2004
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
Durham South By-Election 26 January 2006[21]
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
Framwellgate Moor By-Election 8 June 2006[22]
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
Dawden By-Election 19 October 2006[23]
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
Ouston and Urpeth By-Election 30 November 2006[24]
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

2008-2013

Barnard Castle East By-Election 4 June 2009[25]
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
Easington By-Election 11 February 2010[26]
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

2013-2017

Crook by-election, 7 November 2013[27]
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

2017-2021

Dawdon by-election, 29 June 2017[28]
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
Trimdon and Thornley by-election, 28 September 2017[29]
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
Wingate by-election, 14 March 2019[30]
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
Esh and Witton Gilbert by-election, 21 March 2019[31]
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
Shildon and Dene Valley by-election, 2 May 2019[32]
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
Spennymoor by-election, 2 May 2019[33]
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

2021-present

Ferryhill by-election, 24 February 2022[34]
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
West Auckland by-election, 14 April 2022[35]
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
Chester-le-Street East by-election, 14 April 2022[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julie Scurfield 716 59.8 +28.9
Conservative Allan Bainbridge 439 36.6 -4.9
Liberal Democrats Russell Haswell 43 3.6 -1.4
Majority 277 23.1
Turnout 1,198
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Dawdon by-election, 30 November 2023[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour June Watson 514 55.9 +5.4
Independent Bob Arthur 339 36.9 +36.9
Conservative Josh Rayner 56 6.1 -10.0
Liberal Democrats Roger Vila 10 1.1 +1.1
Majority 175 19.0
Turnout 919
Labour hold Swing

Notes

  1. ↑ Liberal Party prior to 1981, SDP-Liberal Alliance in 1983, Social and Liberal Democrats in 1989
  2. ↑ 3 Liberal, 4 SDP
  3. ↑ Includes five of other parties

References

  1. ↑ "Councillors - general information". Durham County Council. Archived from the original on 25 April 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Bulmer, Martin (2015). Mining and Social Change (Routledge Revivals): Durham County in the Twentieth Century. Routledge. p. 129. ISBN 9781317448488.
  3. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  4. ↑ "Durham". BBC News Online. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  5. ↑ "Local election results: Durham". BBC News Online. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  6. ↑ "Council minutes". Durham County Council. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "Leader's vote of confidence". Chronicle Live. 12 May 2005. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  8. ↑ "Labour take over metropolitan counties and 11 other councils". The Times. 14 April 1973. p. 3.
  9. ↑ Including one seat vacant after election
  10. ↑ "Conservatives triumphant in Greater London and Metropolitan counties". The Times. 6 May 1977. p. 4.
  11. ↑ "GLC results in full: big Labour gains in the counties". The Times. 8 May 1981. p. 4.
  12. ↑ "County Council elections". The Times. 3 May 1985. p. 5.
  13. ↑ "County council election results". The Times. 5 May 1989. p. 5.
  14. ↑ "Results". The Times. 7 May 1993. p. 9.
  15. ↑ "County Councils". The Times. 3 May 1997. p. 10.
  16. ↑ "Durham". BBC News. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  17. ↑ "Durham". BBC News. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Durham". BBC News. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  19. ↑ "Results for Durham". BBC News. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  20. ↑ "Lib Dem win follows family tradition". guardian.co.uk. London. 29 November 2002. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  21. ↑ "Lib Dems fail in key bylelection". guardian.co.uk. London. 27 January 2006. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  22. ↑ "Burlison retains seat for Labour". The Journal. 10 June 2006. p. 35.
  23. ↑ "Mixed results for Tories in council byelections". guardian.co.uk. London. 20 October 2006. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  24. ↑ "News in brief". The Northern Echo. 2 December 2006. p. 15.
  25. ↑ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Durham County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  26. ↑ "Labour maintains majority on Durham County Council with Easington victory". The Northern Echo. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  27. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. ↑ http://www.durham.gov.uk/media/22036/Declaration-of-result---Dawdon-division-29-June-2017/pdf/DeclarationOfResultDawdonDivision20170629.pdf
  29. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Trimdon and Thornley Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  30. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Wingate Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  31. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Esh and Witton Gilbert Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  32. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Shildon and Dene Valley Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  33. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Spennymoor Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  34. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Ferryhill Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  35. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — West Auckland Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  36. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Chester-le-Street East Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  37. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Dawdon Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
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