Electoral Review 2025/26
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) commenced an Electoral Review in Darlington in May 2025. The review was carried out to ensure that each councillor represents about the same number of electors, and that the wards they represent reflect community identities.
The first part of the Electoral Review was to decide on the number of councillors that Darlington Borough Council should have. The LGBCE initially determined that Darlington Borough Council should have 41 councillors. This is a change from the current figure of 50 councillors.
The second part of the review was to decide on the boundaries for the new council wards for Darlington. An initial ten-week consultation closed on 2 February 2026, and from this the Commission drew up their proposals for new ward boundaries. A further round of consultation on the Commission's proposals started on 28 April 2026, and this consultation ended on 6 July 2026.
On Tuesday, 29 September 2026, the LGBCE published it's final recommendations. The Commission recommended the following:
- Darlington should be represented by 41 councillors, nine fewer than there are currently;
- Darlington should have 19 wards, one fewer than there is now;
- The boundaries of almost all wards should change; one (Bank Top & Lascelles) will remain the same;
- That the Parish of Low Coniscliffe and Merrybent be warded; and
- That the boundaries of the Parish Wards in the Parish of Whessoe be amended and the Parish Wards be renamed.
The full report of the LGBCE, alongside interactive and non-interactive maps.