2025 Durham County Council election

The 2025 Durham County Council election is due to take place on 1 May 2025 to elect members to Durham County Council in County Durham, England. 98 seats will be elected, down from 126. This will be on the same day as other local elections.

Background

At the 2021 election, the Labour Party lost overall control of the council for the first time in a century. The 2025 election will be held under new ward boundaries.

In March 2025, a poll from Electoral Calculus for The Daily Telegraph - of all English local authorities with elections in May 2025 - projected that Reform UK would win outright control of, and hold a majority of seats on, the council following the election.

Previous council composition

Changes

November 2021: Brian Avery (independent) dies – by-election held February 2022
January 2022: Mark Roberts (Conservative) dies – by-election held April 2022
February 2022: Curtis Bihari (Labour) gains by-election from independent
April 2022: George Smith (Labour) gains by-election from Conservatives
May 2022: Karen Hawley and Diane Howarth (North East) leave party to sit as independents
February 2023: Beatrice Bainbridge (Conservative) dies – by-election held May 2023
May 2023: Julie Scurfield (Labour) gains by-election from Conservatives
September 2023: Leanne Kennedy (Labour) dies – by-election held November 2023
November 2023: June Watson (Labour) wins by-election
February 2024: Isabella Roberts (Labour) dies – by-election held May 2024
May 2024: June Clark (Labour) wins by-election; Maura McKeon (Labour) resigns – by-election held July 2024; Michael McGaun (Conservative) leaves party to sit as an independent
June 2024: Angela Hanson and Sam McMahon (Labour) leave party to sit as independents
July 2024: Viv Anderson (Labour) wins by-election
November 2024: Neville Jones (Liberal Democrats) leaves party to sit as an independent
December 2024: Robert Potts (Conservative) joins Reform UK
January 2025: Joanne Howey and Cathy Hunt (Conservative) leave party to sit as independents; Paul Taylor (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent
February 2025: Fraser Tinsley (Labour) resigns – seat left vacant until 2025 election; Joe Quinn (Conservative) and Cathy Hunt (independent) join Reform UK
March 2025: Michael McGaun (independent) joins Reform UK
Stephen Robinson (Derwentside Independents) leaves party to sit as an independent

Opinion polls

Seat projections

Candidates

List of candidates

Annfield Plain and Tanfield

Aycliffe North and Middridge

Aycliffe South

Barnard Castle

Belmont

Benfieldside

Bishop Auckland

Blackhalls and Hesledens

Bowburn and Coxhoe

Brandon

Castle Eden and Passfield

Chester-le-Street North

Chester-le-Street South

Chilton

Consett North

Consett South

Craghead and South Moor

Crook

Dalton and Dawdon

Deerness

Delves Lane

Derwent and Pont Valley

Easington and Shotton

Elvet, Gilesgate and Shincliffe

Evenwood

Ferryhill

Framwellgate and Newton Hall

Horden and Dene House

Lanchester and Burnhope

Langley and Esh

Lower Teesdale

Lumley and West Rainton

Murton

Nevilles Cross

North Lodge

Pelton

Peterlee

Pittington and Sherburn

Sacriston and Witton Gilbert

Seaham

Sedgefield

Shildon and Dene Valley

Spennymoor

Stanley

Thornley and Wheatley Hill

Trimdon and Wingate

Tudhoe

Upper Teesdale

Weardale

West Auckland

Willington and Hunwick

References