County Durham electoral review

Final recommendations on future electoral arrangements in County Durham

On 1 November 2011 we published final recommendations for future electoral arrangements in County Durham. These are available through the links below:

You can see the maps of the proposed recommended boundaries below:

Please note: some of these maps may be very large and may take some time to download.

We have now completed our electoral review of Durham County Council. The changes we have proposed must be approved by Parliament. A draft Order - the legal document which brings into force our recommendations - will be laid in Parliament. The draft Order will provide for new electoral arrangements for the council to be implemented at the local elections in 2013.

Opinion survey

We would like to invite you to participate in our online opinion survey. This survey seeks feedback on the review processes and procedures, in order to identify improvements that can be made. We would be grateful if you could spare some time to complete the survey. Click here to go to the opinion survey.

Further draft recommendations

On 24 May 2011 we published our further draft recommendations for the further electoral review (FER) of Durham County Council. Between 24 May 2011 and 1 August we invited comments on the division boundaries in the authority.

Consultation closed on 1 August 2011.

Below are the representations we received:

Local Authority

Durham County Council (PDF)

Councillors, MPs and Political Groups

We received 31 submissions from Councillors, MPs and political groups, which you can find grouped in this PDF file:

All Councillors, MPs and Political Groups (PDF)

Parish and Town Councils

We received 34 submissions from parish and town councils, which you can find grouped in this PDF file:

All parish and town councils (PDF)

Local Organisations

We received 16 submissions from local organisations, which you can find grouped in this PDF file:

All local organisations (PDF)

Local Residents

We received 126 submissions from local residents, which are grouped by surname in the below PDF files:

Local residents A - F (PDF)

Local residents G - L (PDF)

Local residents M - P (PDF)

Local residents R - W (PDF)

Our further draft recommendations can be found using the links below.

Maps of the area recommendations:

Please note: some of the maps are very large and may take some time to download.

Final recommendations delayed

The publication of our final recommendations for Durham County Council has been delayed until 2011. This is due to new information provided by Durham County Council on the electoral register.

Read our news release for more information.

Further consultation - 12 February 2010 to 26 March 2010

Following our analysis of the submissions received during Stage Three, we sought further views in some areas of County Durham.

On 12 February we published a news release.

The further consultation closed on 26 March 2010

Below are the responses we received to our further consultation. Because of the number of submissions received, we have not uploaded these as individual documents.

Response to further consultation from the County Council

Responses to further consulation in Chester-le-Street North

Responses to further consultation in Chester-le-Street South

Responses to further consultation in Durham City

Responses to further consultation in Great Aycliffe

Responses to further consultation in Shildon

Responses to further consultation in South East of Durham

Responses to further consultation in Tow Law and Crook

Please note: some of these documents may be large and may take some time to download.

Stage Three

On 15 September 2009 we published our draft recommendations (PDF) for electoral arrangements for Durham County Council. We also published a summary of the report (PDF) and a news release.

Amendment to the draft recommendations (PDF)

Maps of the area: Map 1 (PDF), Map 2 (PDF), Map 3 (PDF), Map 4 (PDF), Map 5 (PDF), Map 6 (PDF), Map 7 (PDF), Map 8 (PDF), Map 9 (PDF), Map 10 (PDF), Map 11 (PDF) and Map 12 (PDF)
Please note: some of these maps may be large and may take some time to download.

Below are the responses we received during this consultation. Due to the number of submissions received we have not uploaded these as individual documents.

Durham Council

Durham Council submission (PDF)
Durham Council submission appendix 1 (PDF)
Durham Council submission appendix 2 (PDF)

MPs and political groups

We received 16 submissions from MPs, political parties and political groups in County Durham. All the submissions are contained in one PDF document. At the front of the document there is a list of names with internal links to the relevant submissions.

MPs, political parties and political groups in County Durham (PDF)

Councillors

We received 17 submissions from unitary councillors. All the submissions are contained in one PDF document. At the front of the document there is a list of names with internal links to the relevant submissions.

Councillors on Durham County Council (PDF)

Parish and town councils

We received 46 submissions from parish and town councils. All the submissions are contained in one PDF document. At the front of the document there is a list of names with internal links to the relevant submissions.

Parish and town councils in County Durham (PDF)

Residents

We received 121 submissions from local residents. All the submissions are contained in three PDF documents, arranged by surname: A-G, H-P or Q-Z. At the front of each document there is a list of names with internal links to the relevant submissions.

Local residents A-G (PDF)
Local residents H-P (PDF)
Local residents Q-Z (PDF)

We also received an additional submission which is not included in the above collated submissions - Mrs T Sinclair (PDF)

Non-political organisations

We received 24 submissions from Residents Associations, Community Groups, Action Area Partnerships and other non-political groups and organisations. All the submissions are contained in one PDF document. At the front of the document there is a list of names with internal links to the relevant submissions.

Residents and Community Associations, AAPs and non-political groups in County Durham (PDF)

Petitions

We received eight petitions and groups of standard letters. All the submissions are contained in one PDF document. At the front of the document there is a list with internal links to the relevant submissions.

Petitions and groups of standard letters from residents in County Durham (PDF)

Late submissions

These submissions were recieved after the closing date for submissions. All the submissions are contained in one PDF document. At the front of the document there is a list with internal links to the relevant submissions.

Late Submissions (PDF)

Stage One

On 17 March 2009, we started Stage One of the electoral review for the new County Durham unitary authority. In the previous stage, we consulted on the proposed council size for the new council and decided it should have 126 elected members.

Link to original press release.
Letter sent to Chief Executives of County and District Councils for Stage One (PDF)
Letter sent to Parish and local Councils for Stage One (PDF)
Electoral figures for County Durham by polling district
We also provided advice on division patterns (PDF), list of electorate figures (PDF), map of parished areas (PDF) and map of unparished areas (PDF).

Below are the submissions we received.

Preliminary council size consultation

On 1 July 2008, we started an electoral review of the new County Durham council. During the first stage of the review (to 15 September 2008) we invited proposals for the future council size of the new council. We only considered comments on council size at this time, and we will consider electoral arrangements during two further periods of consultation.

Below are the submissions we received.

Durham County Council

Durham County Council submission (PDF)
Durham County Council additional submission (PDF)

Local authorities and councillors

Councillor Bell (PDF)
Councillor Crosby (PDF)Councillor Ord (PDF)Councillor Shuttleworth (PDF)Councillor Wolstenholme (PDF)

Parish and town councils and councillors

Political organisations and MPs

City of Durham Constituency Labour Party (PDF)
Kevan Jones MP (PDF)

Local organisations

County Durham Association of Local Councils (PDF)

Residents

E Potts (PDF)
J Bird (PDF)P Stradling (PDF)R Johnston (PDF)

Other information

Original press release (PDF)

Letter sent to Chief Executives of County Council at the beginning of the review (PDF)Letter sent to Parish and local Councils at the beginning of the review (PDF)

In your area

County Durham electoral review

Final recommendations on future electoral arrangements in County Durham

Further draft recommendations

Final recommendations delayed

Further consultation - 12 February 2010 to 26 March 2010

Stage Three

Durham Council

MPs and political groups

Councillors

Parish and town councils

Residents

Non-political organisations

Petitions

Late submissions

Stage One

Durham Council

Political groups and councillors

Parish and town councils

Residents

Non-political organisations

Preliminary council size consultation

Durham County Council

Local authorities and councillors

Parish and town councils and councillors

Political organisations and MPs

Local organisations

Residents

Other information