Rankings · Unitary council
County Durham
County Durham council ranks 12th of 130 single-tier councils in England (likely range 2nd to 30th), in the top quarter. Strongest on value for money (4th of 127), weakest on service quality (36th of 130).
Compare County Durham with another council
Data as of 13 October 2026 · methodology v2.0 (stable) · to cite: "County Durham council, Council Rankings, 13 October 2026, https://councilrankings.com/council/county-durham/"
Likely range 2nd–30th. Stays in the top quarter in 97% of re-runs. How we work this out
How County Durham scores
Bar length shows the share of the 130 councils that County Durham beats. Overall weights: service quality 60%, value for money 20%, financial health 20%. Select any measure below to see how every council compares on it.
Service quality
Allowing for need, County Durham ranks 35th of 130 (likely range 20th–54th), against 36th unadjusted. That is about the same: need explains little of the difference between councils.
Adjusted: children's services, adult social care and waste & recycling. Not adjusted, because there is no published measure of need: planning, complaints, special educational needs and homelessness. This view is not part of the overall rank. How we adjust
Planning
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 92.2% | 93.7% | 76 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Non-major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 89.9% | 92.0% | 83 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Planning decisions in the financial year Higher is better · context only | 1,706 | 1,092 | – | 2025-26 |
Source: MHCLG — Planning application statistics (PS2)
Waste & recycling
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household waste sent for reuse recycling or composting Higher is better | 36.8% | 37.4% | =70 / 130 | 2024-25 |
| Residual household waste per household Lower is better | 571 kg | 516 kg | 99 / 130 | 2024-25 |
Source: DEFRA — Local authority collected waste management
Complaints
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ombudsman upheld decisions per 100k residents Lower is better | 2.6 | 4.8 | 13 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman investigations upheld Lower is better | 75.7% | 81.9% | 25 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented on time Higher is better | 85.7% | 75.0% | =42 / 128 | 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented Higher is better · context only | 100.0% | 100.0% | – | 2025-26 |
| Upheld complaints already remedied by the council before reaching the Ombudsman Higher is better · context only | 23.5% | 15.2% | – | 2025-26 |
Source: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman — annual review data
Children's services
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted overall effectiveness (children's services) Higher is better | Outstanding | Good | =1 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
| Ofsted sub-judgements (average) Higher is better | 3.75 / 4 | Good | =15 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
Source: Ofsted — Local authority inspection outcomes
Adult social care
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CQC assessment score for adult social care Higher is better | 66.7%Good assessment published 16 August 2024 | 63.9% | =37 / 126 | latest at 2026-10-13 |
| Quality of life of people who use services (adjusted) Higher is better | 0.416 | 0.417 | =66 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services satisfied with their care and support Higher is better | 67.3% | 65.5% | =41 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| Older people still at home 12 weeks after hospital discharge into reablement Higher is better | 67.1% | 62.5% | 26 / 119 | 2024-25 |
| Adults aged 18 to 64 with a learning disability who live in their own home or with family Higher is better | 89.0% | 83.9% | =21 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services who feel safe Higher is better | 76.2% | 70.7% | 12 / 129 | 2024-25 |
Source: CQC — Local authority assessment reports; DHSC — Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework
Special educational needs
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks Higher is better | 44.9% | 58.3% | 78 / 130 | 2024 to 2025 |
Source: DfE — Education, health and care plans
Homelessness
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homelessness prevented: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 34.6% | 51.7% | 119 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Homelessness relieved: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 33.7% | 33.5% | 65 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1000 households Lower is better | 0.5 | 2.8 | =1 / 126 | 2026-03 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks Lower is better · context only | 2 | 0 | – | 2026-03 |
Value for money
Adult social care value for money
County Durham spends £476 per adult on adult social care, against about £643 expected after allowing for older people's poverty, how many residents are over 65 and whether a council is in London (£167 less). Its adult social care results rank 26th of 125.
Good results, lower cost · value for money rank 1st of 122
Children's services value for money
County Durham spends £1,938 per child on children's services, against about £1,656 expected after allowing for child poverty and whether a council is in London (£283 more). Its children's services results rank 15th of 130.
Good results, higher cost · value for money rank 100th of 127
Waste value for money
County Durham spends £203 per home on waste & recycling, against about £212 expected after allowing for deprivation, whether a council is in London and share of census output areas classed rural (£9 less). Its waste & recycling results rank 82nd of 130.
Weaker results, lower cost · value for money rank 59th of 127
Planning value for money
County Durham spends £-393 per planning decision on planning, against about £702 expected after allowing for whether a council is in London (£1,095 less). Its planning results rank 77th of 130.
Weaker results, lower cost · value for money rank 11th of 127
Financial health
Reserves
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usable reserves as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | 41.9% | 33.0% | 44 / 127 | 2025-26 |
| Change in usable reserves over the year as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | 4.5% | 0.4% | 30 / 127 | 2025-26 |
Debt
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt servicing costs as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 6.4% | 9.7% | 33 / 127 | 2025-26 |
| Borrowing need (excluding council housing) as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 132.6% | 184.6% | 32 / 127 | 2024-25 borrowing, 2025-26 spend |
Schools funding deficit
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-needs (DSG) deficit as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 6.9% | 8.8% | 50 / 127 | 2025-26 |
Government bailouts
| Measure | County Durham | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional Financial Support over three years as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 0.0% | 0.0% | =1 / 127 | 2024-25 to 2026-27 |
Context
Background figures. These don't count towards the score.
| Population | 539,146 | median 277,253 | mid-2025 |
| Net service spend per resident | £2,068.93 | median £2,026.28 | 2025-26 |
| Index of Multiple Deprivation average score | 28.808 | median 24.057 | 2025 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks | 2 | median 0 | 2026-03 |
| Who runs the council | Reform UK majority | 16 September 2026 | |
| Seats on the council | Reform UK 60, Independent and other 15, Liberal Democrat 15, Labour 5, Green 2, Conservative 1 (of 98 seats) | 16 September 2026 | |
| Audit opinion on the latest accounts | Opinion signed 27 November 2025. PSAA status: delivered by backstop. | 2024-25 | |
| Years of the last three with no audit opinion signed | 0 | median 0 | 2022-23 to 2024-25 |
| Band D council tax (council element) | £2,071.11 | median £1,969.00 | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax change on previous year | 2.0% | median 5.0% | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax total bill (incl. GLA/police/fire/combined authority) | £2,622.15 | median £2,435.01 | 2026-27 |
Also responsible in County Durham
These services are run by other bodies, so they don't count towards County Durham's score.
- North East Combined Authority: transport; adult skills; economic development
Councils nearby
The closest ranked councils by distance between council centres. Nearness says nothing about how similar they are.
- Sunderland: 5th of 130, top quarter · compare
- Gateshead: 35th of 130, upper middle · compare
- Darlington: 11th of 130, top quarter · compare
- Newcastle upon Tyne: 108th of 130, bottom quarter · compare
- Hartlepool: 4th of 130, top quarter · compare
ONS code E06000047 · How we score · Report an error · Changelog