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Government in County Durham

What is Local Government?

Local government is concerned with people, the environment in which they live and the quality of life which they are able to enjoy.

It can be defined in three ways:

  • It is the system which has been chosen in Britain to enable people to look after their own affairs.
  • It is a system of local democracy.
  • It is a system of "Councils" which together provide most of the public services people need.
Councils provide a very wide range of services, from lamp posts to libraries, roads to record offices, and walks to waste disposal.

Two Tier Local Government

Here in County Durham we have a system which is known as "two tier" local government. In other words, we have two sorts of council serving local people - a "county council" and a number of "district councils".
We have one county council, called Durham County Council, and seven district councils:

Within County Durham one of our districts is known as a City Council and another is known as a Borough Council. The main difference relates to the ceremonial aspects to local government, in that City of Durham Council and Sedgefield Borough Council have mayors whereas the other councils have chairpersons.

Council Services

Each type of council provides a different package of services for the people it represents. But there are some services in which both type of council are involved - like economic development and the promotion of tourism.
Each district has its own district council providing a range of services for the people who live within its boundaries.

The main services provided by district councils include:

  • Housing
  • Refuse collection
  • Leisure services such as swimming pools and leisure centres
  • Environmental health
  • Local planning

The County Council provides services for all parts of the County, including the seven district areas. The County Council’s main services include:

  • Education and schools
  • Social services
  • Roads
  • Bridges and transport
  • Strategic planning
  • Libraries and museums
  • Economic development
  • Tourism promotion
  • Trading standards
  • Street lighting

Parish and Town Councils

Believe it or not, there is in fact a third tier to our two tier system of Local Government in County Durham!
In many parts of the County, parish or town councils have been established.

These local councils play an important part at community level, providing and maintaining a range of local facilities such as:

  • Village halls
  • Recreation grounds
  • Cemeteries
  • Allotments
  • Footpaths

There are 152 parish or town councils in County Durham and they have their own association called the Durham Association of Town and Parish Councils.

Durham Association of Parish and Town Councils
1st Floor, Room 90
County Hall
Durham
DH1 5UL
Tel: 0191 3833827
Fax: 0191 3833657

Neighbouring Local Authorities

Click on a council's name to visit their website. (This will take you out of our website - please use your browser's "Back" button to return here.)

Neighbouring Local Authorities Gateshead Council Northumberland County Council Sunderland City Council Hartlepool Borough Council Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Darlington Borough Council Cumbria County Council North Yorkshire County Council

Alternatively you can click on the links below: