NHS Trust challenged to define "engagement"

Regular followers of this site will be well aware of my concerns about the North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Trust's Momentum programme which I believe is incorrectly focused on closing Hartlepool hospital and building a new hospital which nobody wants using money which nobody has, at the expense of clinical and patient safety. The Trust has persistently failed to put its case for the new hospital to the people of Hartlepool and East Durham and consequently it has received minimal public support for its folly in return.

On Monday 28 January I was at a meeting of the county council's Health scrutiny committee where members of the Trust were in attendance to report on the Momentum programme. My initial reaction was one of concern because the Trust had previously committed itself to "engagement" with the county council on the implications of the Momentum programme. Considering that the Trust had done almost everything in the past except engage the people of East Durham, I was curious about their interpretation of the term "engagement". 

I immediately questioned the validity of the Trust's presence and I put it to them that their understanding of the term "engagement" was entirely at odds with mine, considering the extremely poor level of consultation carried out in East Durham during the early stages of Momentum. Last year I reported this anomaly to the Health ombudsman and it is currently under investigation (see blog dated Tuesday 8 January 2013 for more details). As if to prove my point the Trust continually referred to the Momentum consultation exercise of 2007-2008, when in fact the first plans to close Hartlepool hospital began to emerge four years earlier!

I asked how members of the health committee, and the people I represent, would benefit from "engagement" and, specifically, how we could influence the future direction of the Momentum proposals. I told them that if we couldn't really change anything I was not prepared to allow the county council to be used to apply a veneer of democratic sanction to their plans under the guise of "engagement".

In return I was assured by senior members of the Trust that they truly were serious about engaging with the county council. However I feel that this commitment may be tested at some point in the future if and when I call on the Trust to suspend their Momentum programme pending the outcome of an inquiry into its clinical safety!

Watch this space.

Deadman's Bank - Public consultation

DCC has issued the following press release relating to a forthcoming public consultation:

THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF DURHAM

(UNCLASSIFIED DEADMAN’S LANE, BLACKHALL ROCKS)

(PROHIBITION OF MOTOR VEHICLES)

ORDER 2013

Notice is hereby given that the County Council of Durham intends to make an Order under Sections 1, 2 and 4 and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended, the effect of which would be to introduce a prohibition of motor vehicles on the Unclassified Deadman’s Lane, Blackhall Rocks from its junction with Station Road in a northerly direction for 400m..

A copy of the draft Order together with supporting documents may be inspected at County Hall, Durham between 9.00am and 4.00pm Mon-Fri; via the Council website and also at Horden Library during normal opening hours. Any person who wishes to object to the proposed Order should send their grounds of objection, in writing to Loraine Holding, at Legal Services, County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL or by email to Highways.Orders@durham.gov.uk (ref: 92488.) by no later than  21^st February 2013.

DATED:  31 January  2013

Colette Longbottom

Head of Legal & Democratic Services

County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL

Blackhall to remain in the Easington Constituency

For well over a year I have organised and led a campaign, with the full backing of Blackhall Labour Party, against proposals to move the communities of the Blackhall ward into the Hartlepool constituency. My campaign was focused on keeping Blackhall in the Easington constituency, thus retaining its historical and cultural ties with other villages and towns in the area (see post dated 16 October 2012 for further details). 

It seemed that the campaign was doomed late last year when the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) overturned its original proposal and recommended that the Blackhall ward should be transferred into the Hartlepool constituency before the next General election expected in 2015.

However a debate took place in the House of Commons yesterday (29 January)  which culminated in a  vote defeating the Tory-backed proposals for boundary reform. In effect this means that the BCE proposals will not now be implemented as originally planned.

We must not be complacent and must remain vigilant as the BCE proposals are not quite dead in the water and could be revived at some point in the future. However, for now we can be confident that the villages within the Blackhall ward will not be relocated, against the wishes of its people,  into another constituency simply for party political advantage.

Great news for Blackhall Primary school

As a member of the governing body of Blackhall Colliery Primary I take great pride in following and influencing the development and progress of our school, staff and children so I am particularly proud to note that the recent OFSTED inspection report has formally ranked our school as "Good".

Blackhall Primary school was visited by OFSTED inspectors during the week before Christmas (18-19 December 2012) and the school report was published earlier this week. In their report the OFSTED inspectors have recognised the huge effort put into the day-to-day running of the school by staff and pupils which has led to an improved rating of "Good" (from "Satisfactory" in the previous inspection in 2010).

For my part the highlight of the inspection summary is the acknowledgement of the behaviour of our pupils which was ranked as "Outstanding". The report goes on to say that "pupils behaviour is outstanding; they feel exceptionally safe as a result of extremely friendly and respectful relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are always polite and determined to do well in their work". 

Whilst everyone associated with the school ought to feel very proud of their contribution to the outcome of this report, and perhaps allow themselves a moment of self-congratulation, we must not allow the grass to grow under our feet. As well as celebrating the nice bits in the report, we must also recognise the most important bit which tells us what we need to do to improve further - and then put those recommendations into practice. Only this way can we push ourselves harder to attain the next level of improvement.

However, for now, I would like to extend my personal thanks to all of our staff and pupils whose contribution to the inspection process led to this glowing report. Special thanks must also go to Joanna Clark, Headteacher and Denise Wilkinson, Deputy Headteacher for their leadership and relentless focus on school improvement during the period leading up to this current inspection report. I know that they are both extremely proud of the staff and pupils at our school.

Flooding update, Rodridge Hall, Hutton Henry

As promised by the highways engineers, investigatory works began last week to identify the cause of the constant flooding problems at Rodridge Hall, Hutton Henry (see post dated Thursday 17 January 2013 for further details).

However I've been told today that the works had to be cancelled because of heavy and persistent snowfall in the area last week. 

I am assured that engineers will attempt to begin work again this week - weather permitting - but I have been advised that investigatory works in this location will be a long, drawn out affair because the drains are in a very poor condition and are almost blocked completely by silt and other debris in some places.

I am determined that this long-term danger and inconvenience for residents in Hutton Henry and surrounding villages will be resolved and I will maintain contact with highways engineers to track progress.

Landslip on Blackhall Bank

I received notification this morning from the roads network management team at county hall that traffic on the A1086 between the park gates at Blackhall and the Thorntree Gill exit at Horden will be restricted to travelling at 30mph for a limited time.

The restriction, which will come into force today for 21 days, is in response to safety concerns caused by a landslide at the north-bound bus stop opposite the bottom of the Scheme Houses steps.

I have reproduced below the letter in full for information:

A1086 Coast Road, Blackhall to Horden

Temporary Speed Restriction

Owing to a land slip it has been necessary to temporarily prohibit vehicular traffic along a 1.4 kilometre length of A1086 Coast Road from travelling at a speed in excess of 30 miles per hour between the existing 30/40 signs at Shaftesbury Crescent, Blackhall and Thorntree Gill, Horden.

The speed restriction, which is being effected by means of Notice under Section 14(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 is necessary by reason of likelihood of danger to the public and to permit investigation and remedial works to be carried out.

The emergency restriction will be operative from Tuesday 29 January 2013 for a period of 21 days.  If the works are not completed within this period it will be necessary to continue the restriction in force by means of a further Notice or an Order. 

Blackhall Community Forum (PACT) information

As you will be aware from previous posts on this site the PACT meeting in our area was renamed the Blackhall Community Forum in an attempt to switch the emphasis away from a police surgery and onto the day-to-day neighbourhood issues faced by our people and communities. I chair the monthly meetings which are also attended by representatives of the parish council, street wardens and police to ensure that complaints can be dealt with swiftly and effectively at the correct level.

The Forum meets at 6pm on the second Wednesday of each month at the Blackhall Resource Centre in Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery. If you want to discuss any particular community issue or problem, but don't want to attend a Forum meeting, you can contact 101 (details below) or you can contact me on:

rob.crute@durham.gov.uk or 0191 372 5821.

Durham constabulary has issued the following press release to give further information on PACT meetings:

If you live in County Durham or Darlington and want to get involved in how your local area is policed, Durham Constabulary has the answer!

Along with our local councils we have developed PACT - Police and Communities Together – to ensure we’re tackling the issues which matter to you in your community. PACT meetings are held in local venues on a regular basis. This could be a community centre or similar, and we also hold online PACT meetings, PACT meetings in schools and sometimes PACT meetings in public open spaces (weather permitting).

At every PACT meeting there’s a discussion about PACT priorities. These are the issues which local people tell us they want their local policing team to tackle. If an issue is made a PACT priority it will be tackled, and there will be an update at future meetings about what has been done about it. PACT priorities should change all the time, because we aim to sort out the issue and move on to something else.

PACT has been utilised recently to deal with problems surrounding vacant properties and the anti-social behaviour that these attract. By listening to members of the public, we are able to deal with the issues that affect local communities in a timely and efficient manner.

But you don’t have to attend a meeting. You can be part of PACT simply by contacting your local neighbourhood team. You may see one of them out and about in your area, you can ring them using the 101 number or you can follow them on facebook and Twitter.

PACT is your opportunity to influence what we focus on, where you live.

To find out when your next PACT meeting is, call 101  / visit our website at www.durham.police.uk  and click on your Neighbourhood and ward/beat area.

Street repairs at Station Lane and Church Street, Station Town

I was contacted a few days ago by residents at Church Street and Station Lane in Station Town concerned about damage to a traffic bollard, street lamp and nearby fencing caused by a vehicle fire in the area.

I visited the site last week and reported the extent of the damage to the Highways and street scene departments at county hall. I urged a quick response in repairing the bollard to limit unwarranted access and to prevent vehicles speeding through the narrow passage between Station Lane and Church Street.

The Highway engineers have now confirmed with me that the materials to replace the bollard and fencing have been ordered and that works to repair the site will be carried out as soon as possible.

Flooding at Rodridge Hall, Hutton Henry

Following my sustained pressure on the highway's section at county hall regarding the flooded carriageway at Rodridge Hall between Station Town and Hutton Henry, I have received confirmation from the senior area engineer that further investigatory works are to be carried out next week at this location (see posts dated 11 May, 26 September, 27 November & 6 December 2012 for further details).

The works will be expected to identify the precise location and cause of the problem, allowing remedial works to be carried out.

This constant flooding has been a danger and an inconvenience for a long time, particularly for the residents of Hutton Henry and Station Town, and I will maintain pressure on the highway engineer's department to get works completed here as soon as possible.

Black Path resurfacing underway

Following a long running campaign run jointly with Monk Hesleden Parish Council I have received a progress report on resurfacing works to the Black Path which links Blackhall Colliery to High Hesleden and Blackhall Rocks (see post dated 6 November 2012 for further details).

The senior rights of way officer at Durham County Council has now confirmed with me that hedges and undergrowth along the path have been cut back and the culvert at the mid-point has been repaired. Within the next week or so - dependent on the weather - an excavator will scrape the surface of the path to prepare for the tarmac application which is expected to be completed by next month.

Given the current inclement weather conditions I will maintain contact with the relevant department at county hall over the coming weeks to ensure that works progress wherever possible.

Community Forum report for January 2013

The latest meeting of the Community Forum was held last night at the Resource Centre at Blackhall Colliery. The meeting was chaired by PCSO Ian Goodwin because I was at a public meeting at Hesleden (see post dated 10 January, below).

The Community Forum meeting received complaints about the following issues:

• Rubbish and fly-tipping in rear yards at Second Street, Third Street and Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery
• Unlawful access to the former care home at Glendale House
• Potholes in the road behind Glenholme Terrace and
• Continuing street lighting problems at the library and in Seventh Street, Blackhall Colliery

I had already notified the authorities last week about the accumulation of rubbish in the yards of private properties in Second Street and Third Street and also at Middle Street (you will be aware from reports I posted last year on this site that the property at 29 Middle Street is an ongoing problem). Neighbourhood wardens are aware of this further complaint and they will contact the landlord again with a direction to clear the yard and also a request to make the area secure to prevent a recurrence.

I have recently reported the potholes in Glenholme Terrace following a separate complaint and I have again reported the faulty lights at the library and in Seventh Street.

The ongoing problem of illegal access at Glendale will be addressed by PCSO Goodwin and will be established as the PACT priority for this month.

I will update on progress with these matters in due course.

Landslip at Green Stairs

I have reproduced below a note received from the Countryside Strategic Manager at the county council relating to a landslip and enforced closure of a beach access point between Blackhall Rocks and Crimdon:

I am sorry to have to advise you that Green Stairs, that give access to the beach, is to be closed on the advice of the Drainage and Coastal Defence Manager following a significant cliff fall. He advises that works to stabilise the cliff to ensure the structure’s long-term integrity and public safety may be as much as £1m. As the steps are currently a considerable safety hazard, some temporary barrier has been installed and investigations are taking place to determine how best to practically ensure public access does not continue.

I imagine there is a possibility that the steps could be reinstated at some time in the future but advice received is that they should be closed with immediate effect. As you will be aware, this section of the coast is identified in the Shoreline Management Plan as having a policy of ‘no active intervention’, partly because of the SSSI and SAC designations and its relatively remote location. The erosion process is an accepted natural event and the local fauna and flora that make the area so ecologically important, depend on this process. The Drainage and Coastal Defence Manager advises that we, as an Authority, have to employ a policy of managed retreat for any assets we may have in the affected area.

I will liaise with the Heritage Coast Manager to ensure any necessary public information is appropriately communicated.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter please contact the Countryside Strategic Manager, Andy Niven, on 0191 372 9101 or at:

andy.niven@durham.gov.uk

Public Meeting report - Eden Transport, High Hesleden

I wrote recently about a planning application for 9 new executive homes on the site of the Eden Transport (Cracknell's) business in High Hesleden (see posts dated 10 December 2012 and 7 January 2013 for further details).

Following an informal meeting I held before Christmas with residents from the village there were a number of unresolved issues which required clarification so I invited planning officers from the county council to meet with me and residents at an open meeting held in Hesleden Community Centre last night (Wednesday 9 January 2013).

I chaired the meeting which was very well attended by about 40 members of the public along with the clerk and members of the parish council. The applicant and his agent were also in attendance.

Residents concerns over the planning process and the format of the planning committee meeting were raised. These were addressed by the planning officers who also set out the formal reasons to be used in supporting or opposing a planning application (generally known as material planning considerations). 

The planning officers gave a brief overview of the outline planning application which will be subject to a further and separate application under "reserved matters." This will address the detail of the proposal at some point in the future if consent is given in outline. The application had been due to be submitted to the planning committee at county hall in mid-February but this may be delayed to to March to allow for the case officer to gather further information before compiling his report to committee.

Therefore it is important to note that representations from members of the public and other interested parties should be submitted to the case officer by the end of January in order for their views to be included in the report:

barry.gavillet@durham.gov.uk

I may hold further meetings about these proposals in due course and I will update on progress regularly on this site. However, in the meantime if you have any questions or concerns about this planning application, or the process to be used in reaching a decision, please contact me through this site or at:

rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Budget Issues in County Durham

I have reproduced below a press release from Durham County Council which explains the next stage in setting of the council's Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

Managing the budget in County Durham 

Members of Durham County Council’s Cabinet will consider an update on the authority’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) next week (January 16); including what impact the latest Government settlement has had on the council’s budget plans.

They will also hear how complex changes to the way councils are allocated Government funds mean Durham will have a significantly reduced share of the central pot and they’ll learn what the public say about how the authority is handling the large budget cuts it faces.

Early consideration of the local government settlement means a revised overall budget reduction of nearly £190m between 2011 and 2017.  More than £90m of that has already been saved with work underway on a wide- range of other financial reviews. However, members will be advised that precise planning continues to be difficult in light of uncertainties surrounding funding for education and public health. In addition the council has yet to identify savings of nearly £53m which will be necessary between the years 2014/2017.

Managing the budget available has meant many difficult decisions have had to be made on what is affordable and some significant changes have had to be introduced to save money while protecting, wherever possible, frontline services.

Throughout this process speaking to residents to understand how they have been affected by reductions or changes to services has been a key element.  Most recently members of the public - via the councils 14 Area Action Partnerships, the Citizens’ Panel and targeted questionnaires – were asked for their views on how they felt the council had managed the spending cuts to date. 1,500 people responded and the results reveal there is a high level of public satisfaction with how the authority has managed a very difficult process so far. Included in the responses received is the fact that some 40 per cent of people felt that the introduction of Alternate Weekly Collections for refuse and recycling had had a positive impact on them, with only 12 per cent reporting a negative impact. This change alone is already saving the council over £2m a year.                 

When asked about managing future spending people said they wanted regular consultation on key decisions to continue and to see the council’s management and structure under continued review as well as consistent moves to smarter ways of working.

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “We are making extremely tough decisions in very difficult financial times and it is pleasing to see the public response is largely positive to the way we have managed this situation so far.

“The uncertainties around some key budgets mean there may be a need for further financial adjustment when we make our final budget decisions in February but we have promised to continue our discussion with the public so that we fully understand the impact these decisions have on our communities

“I would like to thank everyone who has helped us during this process by taking part in the many consultations that have been necessary and to say that we will continue to listen to their views moving forward.”

While last month’s settlement was broadly what the authority had predicted, due to the uncertainties in some areas of funding nationally it is possible that further revisions will need to be made.

However, Cabinet members will be asked to note the contents of the report and the impact of the local government settlement on the council when they meet at Crook Civic Centre next week.

A further report will be taken to Cabinet next month (February 6) before County Council approve the budget at a meeting on February 20.

http://democracy.durham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=154&MId=4543&Ver=4http://democracy.durham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=154&MId=4543&Ver=4

Hartlepool A&E - Ombudsman progress

Last year I wrote to the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman (P&HSO) to complain about flaws in the public consultation exercise carried out by the North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Trust which resulted in the closure of Hartlepool hospital A&E department (see posts dated 19 & 27 September 2012 for further details).

I argued that the outcome of the Momentum proposals were deeply flawed because the Trust had failed to engage or consult with the residents of East Durham, and that consequently the closure of Hartlepool hospital's A&E department ought to be reviewed and an opportunity be given to the people of East Durham to have their say on the future of services at Hartlepool hospital.

I have now received confirmation from the P&HSO's office that my complaint has been passed to an Assessor who will investigate my concerns further.

Whilst I am pleased that the ombudsman has agreed to progress my complaint to the next stage I wouldn't want to raise false hopes. The Trust can be persuasive and evasive in equal measure and we have a long way to go before we reach any form of redress in this case. However, it is a step in the right direction.

I expect further contact from the Assessor within the next week or so and I will update on progress in due course. 

High Hesleden planning application

I wrote recently about a planning application for a housing development at the Eden Transport site in High Hesleden (see post dated 10 December 2012).

I held a preliminary meeting with residents in the village just before Christmas in order to gauge local feelings about the proposal. There were a number of questions raised regarding the impact of the development and also about the planning process itself so I have invited planning officers from the county council to come and meet with me and the residents to discuss those matters further.

The meeting I have arranged will be held on 

Wednesday 9 January 2013 at 6pm in Hesleden Community Centre. 

The meeting is open to anyone who has an interest in this planning application, and especially those residents from High Hesleden to wish to know more about the proposals. I have also invited the clerk and members of the parish council along as they will have a role in making representations to the council.

If you need any further information please contact me:

rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Finally I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Barry Bates and the committee members of Hesleden Community Centre for providing the venue at such short notice.

Back again!

Well, after an enforced break over the Christmas and new Year period I'm back online again. I've been having connection problems with my router but things seem to be back in order and I'm ready to get writing again about some of the things I'm up to at County Hall and in our villages.

Don't forget, if you have any issues or concerns that you would like me to address please contact me through this blog site or by email on:

rob.crute@durham.gov.uk