What is Durham County Council?
The Council is responsible for making many important decisions on behalf of local people. The Council is in charge of services such as local schools, libraries, help for old people, the roads and pavements. The Council is run by 61 elected politicians. Like the Members of Parliament in London, local councillors are voted for, by local people (about 500,000) to make important decisions for them. Local councillors make decisions about how the council should spend its money, what taxes will be charged and how local services will be developed. Durham County Council works with local people to let them look after their own affairs and to decide how and where money will be best spent in their area.
Durham County Council is made up of an elected assembly of 126 councillors accountable to almost 500,000 people in County Durham. The council is responsible for providing a wide range of public services to the people of the county. The council also represents and promotes the interests of County Durham when dealing with regional, national and international affairs. Through effective local government, Durham County Council allows local people to look after their own affairs and to decide how and where money is best spent in their area. The council’s powers and responsibilities are determined by Parliament with county council elections held every four years. The most recent election was held in May 2008 and the next one is expected to be held in 2013.
