// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Durham?
Durham, United Kingdom, scores 60.9% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #158 of 388 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
60.9%
Rank
#158 / 388
Criteria present
44 / 86
Evidence coverage
72.1%
Durham's smart city score by area
6 present · 2 partial · 2 absent · 5 not assessed
6 present · 2 partial · 2 absent · 2 not assessed
6 present · 4 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
5 present · 3 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
8 present · 2 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
7 present · 1 partial · 0 absent
6 present · 4 partial · 2 absent · 2 not assessed
Where Durham is strong
- ▸Health & Digital Health
- ▸Culture, Tourism & Recreation
- ▸Food Security & Urban Agriculture
- ▸Digital Government Services
- ▸Innovation & Economic Development
Where the gaps are
- ▸Governance & Smart-City Operating Model
- ▸Climate Action & Emissions
- ▸Open Data & Transparency
- ▸Solid Waste & Circular Economy
- ▸Active & Shared Mobility
Evidence highlights
Open Data & Transparency · Official open data portal
Data related to Durham County Council is available on data.gov.uk, which is identified as the 'National Data Library' and serves as a government-run open data portal for the UK.
https://data.gov.uk/search?q=durham+county+councilDigital Government Services · Unified online services portal
Durham County Council provides a 'Do It Online services' section on its website, listing various municipal transactions such as paying Council Tax, requesting bulky waste collection, reporting street light problems, and submitting planning applications.
https://www.durham.gov.uk/Digital Government Services · Online payments for taxes & fees
The Durham County Council website allows residents to 'Pay your Council Tax' and 'apply for discounts and manage your account' online.
https://www.durham.gov.uk/Digital Government Services · Citizen reporting / 311 channel
The Durham County Council website offers online reporting for various issues, including problems with street lights, potholes, and fly-tipping, as well as requests for bulky waste collection.
https://www.durham.gov.uk/Funding Durham can bid for
118 open calls — grants, tenders and innovation competitions Durham is eligible for, including UK-wide schemes any place can apply to. Every entry links to its source.
- NationalgrantCloses 15 Sept 2026Help The Homeless Grant Scheme
Help the Homeless
up to £5kApply → - NationalcompetitionCloses 16 Sept 2026Accelerating adoption of quantum enabled sensing and PNT
Innovate UK
up to £14.3m24 month projectEnds 30 Nov 2028 - NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Energy Efficiency
Innovate UK, Department for Transport (DfT)
- NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Electric Power
Innovate UK, Department for Transport
- Nationalinnovation-callCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure Two (ZEVI 2): Alternative Fuels
Innovate UK, Department for Transport
- Nationalinnovation-callCloses 16 Sept 2026Quantum computing applications for large scale impact: CR&D
Innovate UK
up to £13m - NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Healthy Heart Grants 2026
Heart Research UK
- NationalgrantCloses 17 Sept 2026Researcher Challenges Grants 2026
British Council
- NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026
Moray Council
£10k–£50kApply → - NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant
Environment Agency
- NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Second Year Of Moray Coastal Community Fund Opens For Bids
Moray Council
£10k–£50kApply → - NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Moray Council’s Coastal Community Fund
Moray Council
£10k–£50k
Showing 12 of 118 — see them all in the explorer.
About this assessment
Durham was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-09-03 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.