The County Durham (Electoral Changes) Order 2024

Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 59(9) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; draft to lie for forty days pursuant to section 6(1) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, during which period either House of Parliament may resolve that the Order be not made.

Draft Statutory Instruments

2024 No.

Local Government, England

The County Durham (Electoral Changes) Order 2024

Made

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2) and (3)

Under section 58(4) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009(1) (“the Act”) the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(2) (“the Commission”) published a report dated November 2023(3) stating its recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for County Durham. The Commission has decided to give effect to the recommendations.

A draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and a period of forty days has expired since the day on which it was laid and neither House has resolved that the instrument be not made.

The Commission makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 59(1) of the Act.

Citation, commencement, extent and application

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the County Durham (Electoral Changes) Order 2024.

(2) This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.

(3) Articles 3 and 4 come into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2024;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England(4) in 2025.

(4) This Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order, “ the map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the County Durham (Electoral Changes) Order 2024”, held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(5).

(2) Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it is to be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

Divisions of County Durham and number of councillors

3.—(1) The existing divisions of County Durham are abolished.

(2) County Durham is divided into the 51 divisions listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 1.

(3) Each division comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the division.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each division is the number specified in relation to that division in the second column of the table in Schedule 1.

Parish wards of the parishes of City of Durham, Etherley, Peterlee, Spennymoor and Stanley and number of councillors

4.—(1) The existing parish wards of the parishes of City of Durham, Etherley, Peterlee, Spennymoor and Stanley are abolished.

(2) The parish of City of Durham is divided into the three parish wards listed in the first column of Table 1 in Schedule 2.

(3) The parish of Etherley is divided into the two parish wards listed in the first column of Table 2 in Schedule 2

(4) The parish of Peterlee is divided into the five parish wards listed in the first column of Table 3 in Schedule 2.

(5) The parish of Spennymoor is divided into the six parish wards listed in the first column of Table 4 in Schedule 2.

(6) The parish of Stanley is divided into the seven parish wards listed in the first column of Table 5 in Schedule 2.

(7) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(8) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the relevant table in Schedule 2.

Sealed with the seal of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Name

Chief Executive

Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Date

Article 3

SCHEDULE 1 Divisions of County Durham and number of councillors

(1) Name of division	(2) Number of councillors
Annfield Plain & Tanfield	2
Aycliffe North & Middridge	2
Aycliffe South	3
Barnard Castle	1
Belmont	2
Benfieldside	2
Bishop Auckland	3
Blackhalls & Hesledens	1
Bowburn & Coxhoe	3
Brandon	2
Castle Eden & Passfield	1
Chester-le-Street North	2
Chester-le-Street South	2
Chilton	1
Consett North	1
Consett South	1
Craghead & South Moor	2
Crook	3
Dalton & Dawdon	2
Deerness	2
Delves Lane	2
Derwent & Pont Valley	3
Easington & Shotton	3
Elvet, Gilesgate & Shincliffe	2
Evenwood	1
Ferryhill	2
Framwellgate & Newton Hall	3
Horden & Dene House	2
Lanchester & Burnhope	1
Langley & Esh	1
Lower Teesdale	2
Lumley & West Rainton	2
Murton	2
Neville’s Cross	2
North Lodge	1
Pelton	3
Peterlee	2
Pittington & Sherburn	1
Sacriston & Witton Gilbert	2
Seaham	2
Sedgefield	2
Shildon & Dene Valley	3
Spennymoor	2
Stanley	2
Thornley & Wheatley Hill	1
Trimdon & Wingate	2
Tudhoe	2
Upper Teesdale	1
Weardale	2
West Auckland	2
Willington & Hunwick	2

Article 4

SCHEDULE 2 Names of parish wards and number of councillors

Table 1

Parish wards of the parish of City of Durham and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Aykley Heads	1
Elvet & Gilesgate	6
Neville’s Cross	8

Table 2

Parish wards of the parish of Etherley and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Etherley & Toft Hill	9
Hummerbeck & Bildershaw	2

Table 3

Parish wards of the parish of Peterlee and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Acre Rigg	5
Dene House	4
Eden Hill	4
Howletch	4
Passfield	5

Table 4

Parish wards of the parish of Spennymoor and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Byers Green	1
Low Spennymoor & Tudhoe Grange	5
Merrington	1
Middlestone	4
Spennymoor	6
Tudhoe	5

Table 5

Parish wards of the parish of Stanley and number of councillors

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Annfield Plain	2
Catchgate	2
Craghead & South Stanley	3
Havannah	3
South Moor	3
Stanley Hall	4
Tanfield	3

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes changes to electoral arrangements for County Durham following recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The area of the county remains unchanged.

Article 3 abolishes the existing electoral divisions of County Durham Council and replaces them with 51 new ones for the purpose of elections held on or after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2025. It establishes the names and areas of the new electoral divisions and the number of councillors for each.

Article 4 makes changes to parish wards that are consequential on the changes made by article 3.

The area covered by each division created by this Order is identified on a map which is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL.

The map may also be accessed at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/county-durham.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(1)

2009 c. 20.

(2)

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established on 1st April 2010 by section 55(1) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

(3)

The report is available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/county-durham.

(4)

The ordinary day of election of councillors in England is prescribed by section 37(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), as amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), renumbered by paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29), and further amended by section 6(16) of the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4).

(5)

Prints of the map are available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/county-durham.