The Council was made up of 50 councillors elected in all-out elections every four years. The last political composition was Liberal Democrat 27, Labour 15, Independent 8. The 2003 elections saw the Liberal Democrats gain overall political control of the council from Labour, benefiting from boundary changes and substantial gains in Durham's eastern suburbs. Labour had held overall control of the City Council continually since the early 1980s. Durham City Council was abolished when the district of Durham was abolished in 2009. In 2018 a new parish council was formed, initially known as the City of Durham Parish Council, to represent the core urban area of Durham.
Mayors
Mayors of the City of Durham are styled "The Right Worshipful, The Mayor of Durham". The Mayoralty is taken as a continuation of the mayoralty of the pre-1974 Durham and Framwelgate. The Mayor of Durham is entitled to an armed ceremonial bodyguard and claims to be equal fifth in civic precedence behind the Lord Mayors of London, York, Cardiff and Belfast Since the merger of the City Council into the Durham County Council unitary authority in 2009, mayoral appointments have been made by the Charter Trustees of the City of Durham.
Judicial Recorder – currently His Honour Judge Richard Lowden
Billet Master – to be held by a senior Durham City police officer
Pant Master – the Council's Director of Environmental Services
Posts within the Mayoral Bodyguard
Honorary Aldermen
Civil parishes
The central area of the City of Durham was not parished at the time the district existed, however a civil parish called City of Durham was formed in 2018. Those parts of the district formerly part of Durham Rural District or Brandon and ByshottlesUrban District are all parished. The current Brandon and Byshottles Parish Council is co-terminous with the pre-1974 UDC and has inherited some of its responsibilities. Civil Parishes in the former City of Durham district were:
The district was abolished as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England although Durham will retain its city charter through the appointment of charter trustees. All functions of principal authority local government are now administered by a unitary Durham County Council, including the appointment of the Mayor of Durham. Proposals to create a Durham Town Council, covering the city centre and Newton Hall, were put forward in 2008. While supported by the Liberal Democrat controlled City Council, the Labour controlled County Council opposed it. Following a local consultation in 2017 a new council known as the City of Durham Parish Council came into being in 2018, with a Liberal Democrat majority.
