Unitary authority · England

County Durham

County Durham is a unitary authority. It is a single-tier authority, so it runs both local and larger services.

What this council is responsible for

County Durham
Unitary authority · E06000047
  • Planning applications
  • Bin and recycling collection
  • Council tax and business rates collection
  • Housing and homelessness
  • Licensing
  • Environmental health
  • Parks and leisure
  • Local elections
  • Schools and education
  • Adult social care
  • Children’s services
  • Roads and highways
  • Waste disposal
  • Libraries
  • Trading standards
  • Public health
Official website →
Type
Unitary authority
Single tier
Official code
E06000047
ONS GSS code
Nation
England
Local planning authority
Yes. Decides planning applications in its area.
Combined authority
North East
Strategic transport, economic development, skills

Other bodies covering this area

North East
Combined authority
  • Strategic transport
  • Economic development
  • Skills
County Durham and Darlington
Fire and rescue authority
  • Fire and rescue
88
Postcode sectors
50
Wards
7
Constituencies

12 of these postcode sectors are shared with a neighbouring council. Postcode sectors are a Royal Mail construct and do not follow council boundaries.

Boundary

Map loads when it scrolls into view

Ultra-generalised boundary (500 m) from the ONS Open Geography Portal, Open Government Licence v3. Indicative at this scale; not for legal or planning use. See it among its neighbours on the UK map →

Towns in this area

Parliamentary constituencies

Wards

50 wards recorded in this council area.

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

Postcode sectors

DH1 1 · DH1 2 · DH1 3 · DH1 4 · DH1 5 · DH1 9 · DH2 1 · DH2 2 · DH2 3 · DH3 3 · DH3 4 · DH3 9 · DH4 6 · DH6 1 · DH6 2 · DH6 3 · DH6 4 · DH6 5 · DH7 0 · DH7 6 · DH7 7 · DH7 8 · DH7 9 · DH8 0 · DH8 1 · DH8 5 · DH8 6 · DH8 7 · DH8 8 · DH8 9 · DH9 0 · DH9 6 · DH9 7 · DH9 8 · DH9 9 · DH97 1 · DH98 1 · DH99 1 · DL12 0 · DL12 2 · DL12 8 · DL12 9 · DL13 1 · DL13 2 · DL13 3 · DL13 4 · DL13 5 · DL14 0 · DL14 4 · DL14 6 · DL14 7 · DL14 8 · DL14 9 · DL15 0 · DL15 8 · DL15 9 · DL16 6 · DL16 7 · DL16 9 · DL17 0 · DL17 8 · DL17 9 · DL2 3 · DL4 1 · DL4 2 · DL5 4 · DL5 5 · DL5 6 · DL5 7 · DL5 9 · NE16 6 · SR7 0 · SR7 1 · SR7 7 · SR7 8 · SR7 9 · SR8 1 · SR8 2 · SR8 3 · SR8 4 · SR8 5 · SR8 9 · TS21 2 · TS21 3 · TS21 4 · TS27 4 · TS28 5 · TS29 6

Sources: ONS Open Geography Portal (boundaries and names, retrieved 2026-09-05, Open Government Licence v3); National Statistics Postcode Lookup May 2026; Wikidata (official website, CC0). Official code E06000047.