Arrangements for councils across the region following the Queen's death are emerging today.

Local authorities are releasing details of books of condolence and locations for laying floral tributes. The details will be updated here throughout the day.

  • In Darlington, people can leave floral tributes at the Market Cross in the town centre. Councillor Jonathan Dulston, leader of Darlington Borough Council, has laid flowers to commemorate the Queen's life and service.

A book of condolence will be available to sign at the town hall civic reception from 1pm today (Friday, September 9). Throughout the period of national mourning, the book of condolence will be available to sign through the period of national mourning during normal town hall opening hours on Monday to Friday, as well as 10am to 4pm on Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday.

The local proclamation of the new sovereign will take place at 3pm on Sunday at the Market Cross.

The Darlington R’n’B Festival that was planned for this weekend has been postponed as a mark of respect. A new date will be announced in due course.

  • In Durham, people can sign books of condolence at 

    Barnard Castle Customer Access Point and Library, Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Chester-le-Street Library, Consett Leisure Centre, Crook Civic Centre, Gala Durham, Newton Aycliffe Library and Leisure Centre, Peterlee Library, Seaham Customer Access Point, Spennymoor Leisure Centre, the Louisa Centre in Stanley and the Dales Centre in Stanhope.

Floral tributes can also be left at Chester-le-Street Market Place, Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Millennium Place in Durham City, at the front of Crook Civic Centre, Consett War Memorial and outside The Witham at Barnard Castle.

The proclamation of King Charles III will be read by the High Sheriff for County Durham in Durham Market Place at 1pm on Sunday (September 11). The council’s park and ride service will be operating from Belmont to the city centre from 10am to 4pm on Sunday for visitors to attend. Claypath and the Peninsula will be closed to all traffic from 11.30am to 2.30pm. The proclamation will be read again in communities across the county later that day.

A service of remembrance will be held in Durham Cathedral on Saturday, September 17 at 3pm. Members of the public can book a free ticket to attend the service from the cathedral’s website. Services will also be held in churches around the county over the coming days.

Flags at County Hall, Durham Town Hall, Crook Civic Centre and the council offices in Green Lane, Spennymoor, are flying at half-mast.

  • In Middlesbrough, books of condolence are now open at Middlesbrough Town Hall and Central Library. The library is open from 9.30am to 12 noon and 1 to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday. The town hall box office is open from 10am to 6pm today (Friday, September 9) then until 3pm Monday to Saturday.

If you do not have access to the internet and you are not able to get out to sign a physical book of condolence, you can send a message by post to: FAO Civic Support Officer, PO Box 503, Town Hall, Middlesbrough, TS1 9FX. These messages will be typed into an online book of condolence or included in the physical book.

The Northern Echo: Books of condolence following the death of Queen Elizabeth have been opened at Middlesbrough Central Library and Town Hall. Picture: Middlesbrough Council.Books of condolence following the death of Queen Elizabeth have been opened at Middlesbrough Central Library and Town Hall. Picture: Middlesbrough Council. (Image: Middlesbrough Council)

Floral tributes can be placed at the side of the Central Library in Centre Square. People are politely asked to place flowers away from the fire escape steps. The Union flag over the town hall is also flying at half-mast.

  • In Stockton, members of the public are invited to sign books of condolence at Billingham, Ingleby Barwick, Norton, Stockton, Thornaby and Yarm libraries.

These areas are being made available, with signage, for members of the public to attend, reflect and lay flowers and other tributes as a mark of respect: John Whitehead Park (circular grassed area near to the café) in Billingham, IB Leisure on Blair Avenue in Ingleby Barwick, the Green in Norton, Parish Gardens grassed area adjacent to the church in Stockton, Five Lamps landmark on Mitchell Avenue in Thornaby, grassed area off West Street near St Mary Magdalene Church and Yarm Parish Church in Yarm.

Flags at Stockton's municipal buildings and town hall are flying at half-mast during the period of national mourning, and the lighting in Stockton town centre, Stockton riverside and Newport Bridge will be set to purple every night up to and including the evening of the state funeral.

  • In Redcar, a book of condolence will be open at the Redcar Civic Centre from 9am to 7pm, and will stay open until 5pm on the day following the funeral.

Books of condolence will also be open at South Bank Library, Guisborough Town Council office, Loftus Town Council office, Saltburn, Marske & New Marske Parish Council office, Skelton & Brotton Parish Council office and Lockwood Parish Council office. Condolences can also be sent on-line via Condolences@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk.

The Union flag will be lowered to half-mast at the Redcar Civic Centre and public buildings in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland until 8am on the morning following the Queen’s funeral.

  • In Hartlepool, two books of condolence have just been opened at Hartlepool Civic Centre reception area and Hartlepool Borough Hall. They will be open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm until the day after the funeral. People are invited to record their thoughts and sympathies.

An online book of remembrance can also be signed HERE.

People are asked to pay respects and leave floral tributes on the two grassed areas in Victory Square. Flowers laid elsewhere will be moved here. Victory Square will be lit in purple tonight (Friday, September 9) between 7.30 and 9.30pm. Other buildings will also be illuminated during the mourning period.

  • In North Tyneside, books of condolence are located at Quadrant, Silverlink North, Cobalt Business Park on Monday to Friday 7am to 8pm, and our Customer First Centres on Northumberland Square in North Shields, The Forum in Wallsend, York Road in Whitley Bay and Citadel East in Killingworth, all 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday. The books will be closed at the end of the day following the state funeral, then the pages will be bound and held in archive.

North Tyneside Council suggests members of the public wishing can lay floral tributes at: Quadrant building (council central office at the foot of the Union flag), Wallsend (Bandstand at Richardson Dees Park), Whitley Bay (at the foot of the Tommy memorial, in the circular planted area at the Spanish City Dome, The Links), Northumberland Park Bandstand and Killingworth (Post 1945 War Memorial, White Swan Centre).

Union flags to the front of Quadrant, at the Killingworth offices, in the grounds of the White Swan Centre, Town Hall chambers and Spanish City Dome will remain at half-mast during the 10-day mourning period, except during the proclamation readings announcing the new King.

The mayor has invited members of the public to a service of remembrance at 6pm at Christ Church in North Shields the day before the funeral.

There are no plans to close any council buildings or adjust opening times as a result of Operation London Bridge.

In South Tyneside, books of condolence are now available for people to sign every day at South Shields Town Hall and Jarrow Town Hall between 8.30am and 7pm, and Hebburn Central and The Word in South Shields during normal opening hours. The books will close at 6pm the day after the funeral.

People who are unable to visit a venue to sign can contribute a message via email at memorialbook@southtyneside.gov.uk

Floral tributes can be left by the Queen Victoria statue outside South Shields Town Hall, which is being lit purple for the mourning period with Union flags flying at half-mast on key council buildings in line with national protocol.

The mayor will read the local proclamation on the steps of South Shields Town Hall at 3pm on Sunday (September 11).

South Tyneside Council is consider whether scheduled meetings will go ahead on a case-by-case basis. Other services like leisure centres and libraries will operate as normal.

  • In Newcastle, books of condolence will be open at the Civic Centre (Arches reception) on Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm, and City Library (Level 1, beside blue glass entrance) from 7.45am to 5pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday, 4pm on Saturday.

People are invited to lay floral tributes at the Civic Centre on Ceremonial Way. Flowers laid at other locations will be moved here. 

An exhibition of photography of Her Majesty’s visits to the city will be on display in the City Library, near to the book of condolence for the official period of mourning. 

A service of remembrance will be held at St Nicholas’ Cathedral on the evening before the funeral and guests will be invited by the Bishop of Newcastle.

Civic flags are being flown at half-mast. They will be raised to full mast at 11am on Proclamation Day when the new sovereign is proclaimed, and will be returned to half-mast until 8am on the day after the funeral.

Both the Civic Centre and Tyne Bridge will be lit in purple during the period of mourning. 

  • In Gateshead, books of condolence can be signed at Gateshead Civic Centre, Leam Lane Sure Start and Birtley Library, all 9am to 5pm; Blaydon Leisure Centre 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday; Whickham Library 9am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9am to 1pm Wednesday and Saturday; St Mary's Heritage Centre 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 1pm Saturday; Saltwell Towers 9am to 3pm.

Floral tributes can be left at Saltwell Park's Field of Remembrance during the park's opening hours.

The arch of the Millennium Bridge will be lit in purple during the period of mourning and flags at official buildings are lowered to half-mast until 8am on the day after the funeral, except when they will be flown at the mast-head on Proclamation Day at 11am.

The Proclamation for Tyne and Wear will be read on Sunday (September 11) by the High Sheriff of Tyne and Wear, from the steps of the Law Courts on Newcastle Quayside at around 1pm. The deputy mayor, Cllr Robert Waugh, will then read out a local authority-level proclamation at the front of the Civic Centre at around 3pm.

  • In Northumberland, members of the public are invited to lay floral tributes at a number of locations around the county as a mark of respect. People are asked to remove any cellophane to help protect the environment.

The locations at the time of writing are: Carlisle Park bankside and County Hall cenotaph in Morpeth, Column Field in Alnwick, Parade ground at Wallace Green in Berwick, Ridley Park cenotaph in Blyth, The Glade in Prudhoe, the area between the cenotaph and the magistrates' car park in Hexham, and cenotaph sites on Front Street and Cramlington village centre.

People are invited to record their thoughts and sympathies in books of condolence at Alnwick Library, Alnwick Leisure Centre, Ashington Library in the leisure centre, Bedlington Library, Berwick Library, Berwick Leisure Centre, Blyth Library, Blyth Sports Centre, Hexham Library in Queens Hall, Concordia Leisure Centre, Ponteland Leisure Centre, Wentworth Leisure Centre, Morpeth Riverside Leisure Centre and Morpeth County Hall. They will be available until the day after the funeral.

  • In Sunderland, a vigil will be held at Sunderland Minster at 7pm tonight (Friday, September 9).

Books of condolence have opened at City Hall, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Washington Town Centre Library, Hetton Centre, Houghton Library and Sunderland Minster and will be available during each venue's standard opening hours.

As Union flags flying at half-mast at City Hall, Hylton Castle and Port of Sunderland, people can lay flowers around the bandstand at Mowbray Park in Sunderland city centre.

An e-book of condolence can also be signed on the Royal Family’s official website at www.royal.uk.

Mayors will send letters to the new sovereign offering condolences on behalf of councils and communities.

A national two-minute silence will be observed at 11am on the day of the funeral. 

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