Road repairs and markings for St Joseph's RC Primary School

I’ve received confirmation from the highways department that the next phase of road markings will include highway repair and patching works in the street directly outside the entrance to St Joseph’s RC Primary School. Once the roadworks are completed the highways markings will be reinstated to an acceptable standard.

To enable the works to go ahead, and to keep disruption to a minimum, the road between the school and the Aged Miners’ Homes will be closed off during the school holidays from 24 - 28 February between 7.30am and 3.30pm. Residents will be informed in writing and advisory signage will be erected prior to works commencing.

Additional lining works already in the works programme include double-yellow line markings outside Airlie House on Middle Street. This follows reports from several drivers and residents that visibility is seriously impaired by parked vehicles when they pull out of First Street onto the Coast Road.

Parking restriction markings will also be installed at the junction of the Coast Road and Hart Crescent in Blackhall Rocks and at some of the lane endings at the Scheme Houses in Blackhall Colliery. This follows complaints registered by residents and members of the public about disruption caused by parked vehicles, particularly on waste and recycling collection days.

Works already carried out as part of this scheme include renewed markings on the road outside St Andrew’s church on Hesleden Road to prevent obstructions caused by parked cars and other vehicles outside the church.

In addition works have been completed to install bollards on Middle Street recently to prevent vehicles pulling onto the public footpath when parking. These works were carried out after several residents over many years reported ‘near misses’ where they were almost hit by vehicles driving along the pavement when parking. 

The bollards have been positioned to ensure that vehicles can still park as close to the kerb as they did before, but will now be physically prevented from driving into the footpath. The parking enforcement team will now do everything they can to make sure that parking spaces are kept vacant for legitimate users such as delivery drivers and blue badge holders. Full details can be found in an article published last week on this site: New safe parking scheme on Middle Street puts pedestrian safety first

Progress on repairing a collapsed wall at Coronation Avenue

Last month I published an article on these pages giving an update on attempts to urge a landowner to take responsibility for the unacceptable condition of privately-owned land next to Coronation Avenue.

This was after a wall collapsed into the lane last year, and followed reports from residents nearby that the land remained untidy and open to fly-tippers. In addition residents reported vermin coming from the land. Full background details can be found here: Collapsed wall and untidy land at Coronation Avenue 

Since then I've worked alongside the relevant authorities to urge the private company that owns the land to put things right. This included contact with the council's neighbourhood wardens, the clean and green team and any other agency with an interest in this matter.

As a result there are signs of progress at last after the landowner gave an assurance last week that works would be carried out soon to rebuild the wall and bring the land behind it back to an acceptable condition.

In addition, I've contacted the council's community protection team and the community action team (CAT) who will be starting an 11-week project later this month to tackle a range of environmental issues. I've suggested that the some of the issues associated with this location and the streets nearby are considered as a particular focus as part of the wider project.

I'll update on progress with this issue in due course. I'll also report on developments with the CAT project as it develops over the coming weeks, but in the meantime you can find full details of the CAT scheme in an article published on this site last week: Community Action Team project in Blackhall Colliery

New safe parking scheme on Middle Street puts pedestrian safety first

Public safety has been prioritised as a new safe parking scheme on Middle Street got underway earlier this week.

Middle Street after the bollards were installed

Shoppers and businesses will have noticed that bollards have been installed along Middle Street during the week to prevent vehicles driving into the public footpath when parking. As previously reported, there have been quite a few near misses over the years where pedestrians have almost been hit by vehicles as they pull onto the pavement to park. 

In addition, as Middle Street is one of the main walk-to-school routes for many children, the need to protect pedestrians from these dangerous driving practices was seen by members of the public as a priority.

As a result, several residents and some of the local business owners asked if there was anything that could be done to protect pedestrians from vehicles driving onto the pavement. That’s why the bollards have now been installed outside the shops along Middle Street, and they've been positioned in a way that enables drivers to park as close to the kerb as they did before, but they'll now be physically prevented from driving onto the footpath.

Middle Street before the bollards were installed

I’ve also asked the parking enforcement team to give the area more attention over the coming weeks and months to deter illegal parking on Middle Street, and to direct drivers to off-street parking elsewhere or at the designated car park at the community centre nearby. Additional signage will be installed at the junction of Hesleden Road and Middle Street to direct drivers to the community centre car park. 

Double-yellow lines will also be installed or reinstated soon to prevent problem parking at one or two other locations in the village.

I posted a brief update on this scheme a few months ago, and there are additional links to more detailed background information within the article which you can find in this link: Notes from the Blackhall PACT meeting for September 2024

Durham County Council - Local Elections in May 2025

There have been quite a few misleading comments circulating lately on social media claiming that the local elections in County Durham will be either postponed or cancelled this year. 

These comments appear to have originated from politically motivated sources that are either ill-informed, those that don't understand how governance arrangements work or from those organisations that are simply seeking to create division and confusion by spreading misinformation they know isn't true.

To clarify the position in County Durham I've received a statement from Durham County Council confirming that the local elections in County Durham were never at risk of cancellation, along with further confirmation that the local elections are scheduled to go ahead on 1 May 2025 as planned:

Further to the publication of the Government’s Devolution White Paper on 16 December 2024, we have become aware of some speculation that the County Council elections in May 2025 will be postponed.

The White Paper sets out the Government’s expectations for all two-tier areas and smaller or failing unitary councils to develop proposals for re-organisation. After publication of the White Paper, the Minister for Local Government wrote to the leaders of counties and districts in two tier (County and district) areas seeking a clear commitment to devolution and re-organisation on or before 10 January 2025 in order for elections to be postponed.

The local government re-organisation implemented in 2009 created a single tier of local government in County Durham. Therefore, the expectations for local government re-organisation and potential for elections to be postponed does not apply to Durham County Council. The elections will take place on Thursday 1 May 2025 as planned.

Attempt to bring derelict buildings back into use

I've contacted Durham County Council this morning to enquire about the ownership and maintenance responsibility for two long-term derelict properties on the corner of Middle Street and Seventh Street in Blackhall Colliery. 

Both buildings have stood empty for a considerable length of time and have become a blight on the main route through our village, so it would be a considerable benefit to the community if these properties could be tidied up, and perhaps brought back to useful purpose.

In addition to the poor visible condition of the properties, resident will recall that damage was caused to the front of one of the buildings during the recent storms, leaving the current condition of the building a potential threat to public safety.

As I reported on these pages yesterday the council's *Community Action Team (CAT) is due to begin an 11 week project later this month which will focus on environmental issues of this type. It's hoped that if we can get some advance information about these two properties any initiative to bring them back to an acceptable standard will get off to a stronger start. 

*More details about the CAT project can be found here: Community Action Team project in Blackhall Colliery

Community Action Team project in Blackhall Colliery

I've received confirmation from the council’s community protection department that the Community Action Team (CAT) will be starting an 11 week project in Blackhall Colliery later this month focusing mainly on housing, anti-social behaviour and general environmental issues. 

The proposed format can be found below in the communication I received this afternoon from the CAT team leader. 

The Community Action Team are currently preparing for our next project in Blackhall Colliery from 20 January – 4 April 2025.  This will be an 11-week project to tackle local housing, environmental and antisocial behaviour issues.

Weekly walkabouts are planned during the action weeks (5 February - 19 March) on a Wednesday at 1pm. These will be focused on the priority topics. Locations to be confirmed at the Strategy meeting.

We have planned resident engagement events at Blackhall Community Centre as follows. These are a chance for locals to meet the Community Action Team, let us know their views and help decide priorities for the project:

·    Tuesday 21 January from 12-2pm, alongside seated exercise and The Bread & Butter Thing

·    Wednesday 22 January 10am-1pm, alongside coffee morning, café and Knit and Knatter

·    Wednesday 29 January 5-7pm, alongside the PACT meeting

We’ve also arranged mid-action update events, again at Blackhall Community Centre as follows. These are a chance for locals to receive updates on the project and advice on the priority topics:

·    Tuesday 25 February 2025, from 1pm - 2pm, alongside seated exercise and The Bread & Butter Thing

·    Wednesday 26 February 2025, from 12noon - 1pm, alongside coffee morning, café and Knit and Knatter

·    Wednesday 26 February 2025 – 6pm, alongside the PACT meeting

Resident letters will shortly be prepared for those in the focus area, as well as posters, leaflets, and social media to launch the project.

Local Issues & Casework Update for December 2024

Since my most recent monthly local issues and casework update report I’ve raised queries with the authorities on behalf of 64 residents and businesses across the Blackhall ward. I've also made direct contact with more than 78 individual residents. Almost all of these queries are personal and/or confidential so for obvious reasons details cannot and will not be disclosed to the public.

In addition, I’ve dealt with a number of general queries raised by members of the public. These include issues raised at ward surgeries, during street walkabouts, at the monthly Blackhall PACT meeting and through other methods, including direct contact with me via telephone, email and my social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky).

These issues range from reinstated traffic calming measures and other highways issues to new street signs for schools in Blackhall Colliery and a preserved cornerstone in Hesleden. I’ve selected a few for re-posting, just in case you missed them first time around.

Please follow the links below for full details. If you have any queries or comments that require a response please get in touch with me direct at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Affordable food project goes live at Blackhall Community Centre: ‘That Bread & Butter Thing’ affordable food project goes live in Blackhall Colliery

St Joseph's Primary school back on the map: A ‘Hidden Gem’ - New street sign puts St Joseph’s RC Primary School on the map

Residents' concerns about drivers 'deliberately' driving the wrong way across B1281 roundabout: Residents' concerns about dangerous driving practices at the B1281 roundabout

Christmas trees lit up in Blackhall and Hesleden: Blackhall Colliery primary school children get Christmas off to a fantastic start Hesleden residents light up the village Christmas tree

Hesleden chapel cornerstone saved for the community: Cornerstone of Hesleden Methodist Chapel to be preserved by the community

Pressure on owners to tidy up private land at Coronation Avenue: Collapsed wall and untidy land at Coronation Avenue

Speed humps to be reinstated at Station Road in Blackhall Rocks: Funding in place to reinstate the speed humps on Station Road

Residents concerned about vehicles driving on open public space on East Street: Danger of vehicles trespassing on the green at East Street

Assessing damaged benches on the beach banks at Blackhall Colliery & Blackhall Rocks: Damaged benches along the beach banks

Damaged benches along the beach banks

Earlier this week a resident got in touch with me to ask if anything could be done to repair a damaged bench on the beach banks in Blackhall Colliery. The benches along the tops are owned and maintained by different organisations so I said that after the Christmas and New Year break I would contact the local authorities and any other agencies to ask if they could replace any badly damaged benches or fix those that were not beyond repair.

This morning I took a walk along the beach banks between Blackhall Colliery and Blackhall Rocks to see for myself which benches had been damaged and which had been removed entirely. I’ve noticed that one or two on the Colliery side of the beach banks were either badly damaged or had disappeared altogether, while others between Blue House Gill and Station Road at Blackhall Rocks were in generally good condition. 

I’ll contact the relevant agencies next week to see what can be done to bring all benches back to use as a soon as possible. I’ll also take the opportunity to get an update on plans to upgrade the coastal footpath (now known as the King Charles III coast path) and also the latest developments on a request to locate which parts of the coastal walk between Blackhall and Crimdon are designated as bridleways - and which should be accessible by horses and their riders. I’ll update on these issues as soon as I have more information from the authorities.

Durham County Council - Christmas and New Year closures

Customer Access Points will close at 12:45pm on Tuesday 24 December, with normal opening hours resuming from Thursday 2 January. Normal opening days and times vary, visit Customer Access Points for more information. 

In the event of an emergency, residents can still contact us on 03000 26 0000 or use the 24/7 automated payments line on 0300 456 2771.

If you are concerned about someone who is vulnerable or at risk, you should contact Social Care Direct/First Contact and the Emergency Duty Team on 03000 267 979. The service will be open across the Christmas and New Year period.

Online services will still be accessible over the festive period, but requests may not be processed until council offices reopen on Thursday 2 January.

Our Housing Service will close at 12:45pm on Tuesday 24 December and reopen on Thursday 2 January. If you are being made homeless, please contact the Emergency Duty Team on the free phone number 0808 196 8406. The service will be open across the Christmas and New Year period for emergency calls only. General housing advice can be accessed at Housing.

Pathways day centres for adults will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.                       

Some of our Family Hubs will remain open over the festive period but will be closed weekends and bank holidays. Families are advised to contact their local Family Hub before travelling to check if it is open or call 03000 261 111. Information and advice is also available at Help for families - your virtual Family Hub.

Our Welfare Assistance Service will close at 12:00pm on Tuesday 24 December. Normal opening times will resume on Thursday 2 January. For information about support available over the Christmas period, visit Welfare assistance scheme

The Register Office, which is located at The Story near Durham City, will close on Tuesday 24 December at 12:30pm and will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. It will open for appoints only on Friday 27, Monday 30 and the morning of Tuesday 31 December but opening times will vary. To make an appointment call 03000 26 6000. Normal opening hours will resume on Thursday 2 January.

Leisure centres will be open throughout the festive period except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. The last swimming lessons/classes will be held on Friday 20 December and will resume on Saturday 4 January. Visit Thrive Leisure for opening hours at your local centre.

Libraries will be closed from 12:30pm on Tuesday 24 December and will reopen as normal from Thursday 2 January 2025. Normal opening times vary for each library, with full details available at Libraries. Residents will still be able to access the library's Borrowbox app with their library membership over the festive break.

Bin Collections & Household Waste Recycling Centres over the Christmas and New Year period

I’ve been notified of changes to bin collection rounds and household waste and recycling centre (skip site) opening hours over the Christmas period. Please see full details below in a press release issued by the council:

Durham County Council’s collections will take place as normal up to and including Tuesday 24 December.

From Wednesday 25 December to Friday 3 January, residents are being made aware of the following changes to collections: 

Normal collection day	Revised collection day
Wednesday 25 December	Friday 27 December
Thursday 26 December	Saturday 28 December
Friday 27 December	Monday 30 December
Tuesday 31 December	No change
Wednesday 1 January	Thursday 2 January
Thursday 2 January	Friday 3 January
Friday 3 January	Saturday 4 January

Normal collections will resume from Monday 6 January.

Residents can check their collection dates online by entering their house number and postcode into the ‘My Durham’ section of the council’s website at www.durham.gov.uk

Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across the county will be open as normal over the festive period, between 9am and 3.30pm, except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

The Thornley, Coxhoe and Horden HWRC sites are normally closed on Fridays, and will be closed Friday 27 December. The opening hours for these three sites are 10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 3.30pm on a weekend.

People can see opening times of their nearest HWRC, and check how busy a site is in advance, at www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc

Real Christmas tree collections will also be available from Monday 6 January. Residents can book a free collection in advance at www.durham.gov.uk/christmastreecollections

Residents can keep up to date with any changes to council services by following @durhamcouncil on Facebook.