County Durham
English unitary authority in North East England.
Reform UK held 50 of the 98 seats on Durham County Council, County Durham's unitary authority, on 7 October 2026, down from 65 in 2025. A further loss would put Reform on 49, half the chamber, with control hanging on its EDGE.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can Reform retain its County Durham majority despite councillor departures?
Timeline for County Durham
Mentioned in: Reform down to 50 of 98 Durham seats
UK Local Elections 2026Mentioned in: Reform sheds 56 councillors since May
UK Local Elections 2026Background
County Durham is a unitary authority area in North East England, governed by Durham County Council from the city of Durham. It is smaller than the ceremonial county, which also takes in Darlington, Hartlepool and part of Stockton-on-Tees. County Durham is part of the North East Combined Authority.
The present authority was created on 1 April 2009, when seven district councils were abolished and the county council took over their work. It therefore runs both county and district services, including education, social care, planning, highways and waste, rather than sharing them with district councils.
The area runs from Durham city and former coalfield communities to rural Teesdale and the North Pennines. Reform UK took control of the council at the May 2025 election, and by October 2026 its group had shrunk from 65 to 50 of 98 seats.
The council majority narrows
Reform UK won 65 of the 98 seats on Durham County Council in May 2025. By 7 October 2026, the council's own member list showed the group down to 50, with 97 councillors sitting and one seat vacant.
The sharpest losses came in September. Three councillors left the party on 15 September and Aaron Hillam followed later in the month. Another resignation would leave Reform on 49, precisely half the 98 seats; with the vacancy unfilled, those 49 would outnumber the other 48 sitting members by one, so control of County Durham's services would rest on a single vote.
What type of council is County Durham?
Who controls Durham County Council?
When did County Durham become a unitary authority?
Why has County Durham's Reform UK group lost members?
Where does the County Durham unitary authority govern?
