Hesleden pit heap removal plans to be heard by committee in the New Year

We have been notified today that the planning application submitted by Hargreaves plc to remove the pit heap at Hesleden is to be submitted to the county council's planning committee for deliberation and decision on Tuesday 5 January 2016 (please see posts dated 12 December 2013, 2 April 2014, 9 April 2014, 29 April 2014 & 31 May 2014 for background information).

We attach below the link for the planning committee papers:

http://mgov:9070/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=318&MId=8062&Ver=4

Council services over the Christmas period

We have received a circular today which sets out details of how council services will continue to operate over the festive period.

It also includes details of contact numbers to be used in the event of an emergency so we have reproduced the circular in full below (for more information on bin collections please see the post dated Tuesday 15 December 2015 on this site):

During the festive period Durham County Council’s customer access points and most council buildings will be closed.

The closures will begin on Christmas Eve and buildings will re-open on Monday 4 January.

Anyone who needs to contact the council in an emergency can do so by calling 03000 26 0000, or by reporting issues online at www.durham.gov.uk.

 Also, people can use the 24/7 automated payments line on 03000 456 2771.

Customer access points will close at 12.45pm on Christmas Eve and will re-open at 8.30am on Monday 4 January 2016.

Leisure centres, libraries and children centres opening times will vary over the festive period so people are advised to contact their local leisure centre, library or children’s centre before Christmas, to check their opening times.

Day centres for adults will remain open over Christmas, except on bank holidays.

Register offices will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day and will close at 12.45pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Bishop Auckland, Aykley Heads (Durham), Barnard Castle and Chester-le-Street register offices will be open between Christmas and New Year but will operate on an appointments basis only.  To make an appointment, people can phone 03000 266 000.

As part of the Travel Response Centre, the pre-bookable transport service to hospital appointments will remain open for telephone bookings. Other booking services are closed from 12.00pm on Christmas Eve until 8.30am Monday 4 January. For more information, contact 03000 269 999.

Household waste recycling centres (tips) will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

There will also be some changes to those bin collections which normally take place on Fridays. 

Collections which would have been due on Friday 25 December will instead take place on Monday 28 December. And collections due on Friday 1 January will be carried out on Monday 4 January.

All other collections, including those due on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, will not be affected.

Durham Park and Ride will be closed on 25, 26, 27 December and 1 January.

For more information visit http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/5070/Festive-period-closures

Community Computers in the Blackhall area

Earlier this year, working alongside Monk Hesleden Parish Council and a number of community groups in our area, we secured funding for computers to be installed at a number of community venues in Blackhall Colliery and Blackhall Rocks.

New community-use computers in Blackhall Community Centre

Recently the project came to fruition when new community-use computers were unveiled at Blackhall Community Centre and Blackhall Resource Centre in Blackhall Colliery and also at Kasko House, home to the Blackhall Rocks Residents' Association.

Given the success of this scheme we have decided to seek further funding to extend it from the springtime of next year into other community venues in the villages of the Blackhall ward, providing certain criteria can be met (ie relating to supply and demand and also the compatibility of individual community facilities).

Please get in touch if you think that your community venue might benefit and we'll make the necessary arrangements at the appropriate time.

Changes to some bin collections over the Christmas period

We have received a circular from the county council giving advice on alterations to some bin collections over the Christmas and New Year period.

Changes will be made mainly to collection rounds made on a Friday, which covers a significant number of the villages in our county ward. We have reproduced the information in full below:

Bin collections during the festive period

Title

There will be changes to some bin collections over the festive period in County Durham.

The changes, during Christmas and New Year weeks only, affect rubbish and recycling bins which are normally emptied on a Friday.

Collections which would have been due on Friday 25 December will instead take place on Monday 28 December.

And collections due on Friday 1 January will be carried out on Monday 4 January.

All other collections, including those due on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, will not be affected.

Normal collections will resume on Tuesday 5 January.

Residents are also advised that Durham County Council’s bulky waste collection service will not operate between Monday 21 December and Monday 4 January.

People can arrange to have their real Christmas tree collected free of charge by contacting the council on 03000 261 000 before Friday 8 January.

People can check their bin collection dates by entering their postcode on the My Durham section of the council’s website – www.durham.gov.uk

Northern Powergrid update on the A1086/B1281 blackout in Blackhall

For some weeks we have been contacting Northern Powergrid on a regular basis to impress on them the urgency needed for repair works to the long-term street lighting outage on the B1281 between St Joseph's RC church and the Yohden care complex (please see posts dated 20 November & 4 December 2015 for background information). 

We have repeatedly told them of the danger to residents, motorists and pedestrians alike of continued darkness on this stretch of road.

The junction of the A1086 and B1281 at St Joseph's RC church in Blackhall Colliery

Following continued pressure this week, particularly from the parish clerk, Northern Powergrid has now confirmed that repair works in this area should be completed on or before Wednesday 16 December which is their response time period for repairs of this nature (this follows an email we received just yesterday from Northern Powergrid suggesting that all "non-urgent" works would be suspended until repair works to storm damaged lines in Cumbria had been completed).

However, it now appears that we might at last see some real progress within the next week. We will keep you updated with developments as they arise.

Discussions on future plans for the DLI museum continue

Please see below a press release issued this afternoon by Durham County Council which relates to its intentions on the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) museum:

Council pledges to continue meetings over DLI future

Durham County Council had pledged to keep meeting with veterans and campaigners as it develops how best to continue to honour the Durham Light Infantry.

Speaking at a meeting of full council on Wednesday morning, the council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration and culture, Cllr Neil Foster, said meetings have already taken place with many who share strong views on the future of the DLI collection.

And he said the council will continue to listen to people who want to help bring the story of the men and women who served to the audience it deserves.

Cllr Foster said: “In adopting this report the Cabinet members recognised the heritage of the DLI regiment must not only be maintained and preserved for future generations, but honoured as widely as possible.

“We also recognise, as a city containing a World Heritage Site, that it is also important to provide an excellent cultural offer, both for the benefit of our own residents and the many thousands of tourists who come to visit us each year.

“However, we must also recognise that what we have done before may no longer be appropriate or sustainable, and we must therefore look for opportunities for how we can make the most of what we have.

“In consultation with the DLI Trustees, whose role is to do what is best for the collection, and in partnership with Durham University, we have sought to find a new way of telling the DLI story - a way that will take it to the heart of the World Heritage Site, with its more than 600,000 visitors a year, and give it the far greater audience it rightly deserves.

“In addition we have been working with Army Museums Ogilby Trust the recognised authority in this area.

“We have already met with many of those who have strong views on the future of this museum and welcome the opportunity to meet others in order that this can help shape the future of the collection and how we exhibit the many important artefacts it contains.

“We understand there has been significant public concern about the proposed changes, particularly with the idea that we are seeking to lock much of the collection away from public view, but that is simply not true.

“Durham County Council – as one of the few local authorities still funding a regimental museum - is committed to multiple exhibitions over the next five years to showcase much of what is currently on display, as well as many items, photos and stories which aren’t.

“At the same time we want to provide a new more suitable home for those items not included in exhibitions, with a publicly accessible research facility at Spennymoor at which curators, conservators and volunteers will be able to study and work on items.

“Both of those are longer term commitments to the DLI. Work is well underway on an exciting programme of events for 2016 that further explore and commemorate the role of Durham men and women at war.

“Rest assured that we are very aware of the importance of the DLI both to the history and people of the county and beyond.

“And we believe our plans which we are developing with the input of many will offer both a fitting tribute to those who served with the regiment, and ensure the continuation of the collection for many years to come.”

The DLI collection is set to move from its current home at Aykley Heads in April, by which time the first of the exhibitions on Palace Green, looking at the involvement of Durham people in the Battle of the Somme, will be open to the public.

A five year exhibition on the History of the DLI will follow later in the year, with further temporary exhibitions on different topics related to the regiment, and a linked programme of events marking the World War One centenary also planned.

To discover more about the county’s involvement in the 1914 to 1918 conflict visit the council’s archive, museum and archaeology services’ Durham at War website, www.durhamatwar.org.uk.

The impact of continued austerity measures in County Durham

We have received the following press release from county hall outlining the potential impact of continued central government funding cuts on services provided by the council, along with details of a series of public consultation events to engage the county's residents in helping to set their spending priorities:

Austerity to deepen in County Durham

An update on budget planning for the North East’s largest council, including the impact of the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), will reveal a total savings target of close to £290m by 2020. Members will also hear that whilst austerity will continue, much remains uncertain at this stage as Durham County Council will not receive its financial settlement from Whitehall until mid-December.

However, an action plan, the potential use of an additional £25m from reserves and a continuation of the sound financial management approach adopted by the council means that despite the toughest of times, every effort will be made to minimise the impact of the cuts on the county’s residents.

The budget planning paper before the authority’s Cabinet next week (December 16) sets out a four year plan which will see continued consultation with the public on spending priorities, and also on the impact of proposed changes. Final decisions will be made on 74 proposals for savings outlined in the report by Cabinet and Full Council in February.

Alongside these measures continuing efforts will be made to highlight and support the ‘Durham Ask’, a programme which sees the council support communities and the voluntary sector to take over some council buildings and services.

The council Leader is Cllr Simon Henig: “We have done our best to protect frontline services and to respond to the priorities set by the public and we are committed to maintaining this approach.

“Continuing spending cuts on this scale inevitably mean making tremendously difficult decisions including changes to services, altering how we deliver those services and reducing our own costs at the same time.

“As we manage this we will use a potential further £25m in reserves to mitigate the impact on frontline services as best we can.

“We are also committed to ongoing consultation with residents so that we understand how proposed changes may affect people and we will pay special attention to those who are most vulnerable as well as people living in rural more remote areas.”

The continuing austerity also means there will be a further impact on jobs at the council. In 2010, then facing budget reductions of £123m, Durham announced workforce reductions, of 1,950 posts. That figure remained, despite austerity continuing and a revised savings target of £260m earlier this year. However, facing additional savings the council may have to reduce the number of posts by a further 400. The freezing of vacant posts and redeployment, as well as skills training and the introduction of more efficient ways of working, will be used to reduce the impact.

Cllr Henig again: “We recognise our staff are our biggest asset, which is why we have strived so hard to protect as many jobs as possible, while making greater cuts to management and support costs. Sadly, like many public sector organisations, we may have to reduce our workforce further to prioritise spending on services wherever we can. Again, we will delete vacant posts and use redeployment to minimise the impact.”

The council’s financial planning is based on a 2 per cent increase in council tax over the next four years. However the CSR offered local authorities the chance to help replace lost central Government funds by adding a further 2 per cent social care precept to council tax bills – with income from this ring-fenced for spending on adult social care. This option will be part of the upcoming budget consultation exercise.

Earlier in the autumn of 2015 the council’s 14 Area Action Partnerships took part in the latest round of consultation on how the council should manage its reducing budget. Feedback from this, and an online consultation option, revealed the public’s spending priorities had not changed. However, residents will continue to have their say via a second phase of consultation, starting December 16 and running until January 12, 2016. As well as an online option at www.durham.gov.uk/haveyoursay there will be three special events:

December 16, 2015 – St Johns RC, Bishop Auckland      6pm – 7.30pm

December 17, 2015 – Shotton Hall, Peterlee                    1pm – 2.30pm

December 17, 2015 – County Hall, Durham                      6pm – 7.30pm

The full Cabinet report can be viewed here http://democracy.durham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=154&MId=7926&Ver=4

Members will note the report’s recommendations when they meet at Durham Town Hall on December 16. 

Northern Powergrid fails to respond to Blackhall streetlight repair request

Two weeks ago we reported that street lights were out on the B1281, a stretch of road in Blackhall Colliery connecting the A1086 junction at St Joseph's church with the Yohden care complex (please see post dated Friday 20 November 2015 for further information).

The A1086/B1281 junction in darkness at St Joseph's, Blackhall Colliery

We reported at the time that due to a particular fault Northern Powergrid, and not the county council, was responsible for streetlight repairs at this location. 

Once again we have contacted Northern Powergrid to encourage them to carry out repairs in this area. We have told them that this is a very busy stretch of road, well used by motorists and pedestrians alike, and we have made them aware of our concerns over the real risk of accidents if repairs are not completed urgently.

We will continue to press Northern Powergrid to fulfill their obligation to make this road safe and we will keep you updated with progress.

The people and school children of Blackhall light their Christmas tree

There was another great turn out tonight for the annual ceremony to light the parish council Christmas tree at Chicken's Green in Blackhall Colliery.

The Christmas tree at Chicken's Green, Blackhall Colliery which was lit up this evening

The chairman of the parish council, Cllr Gaynor Crute, opened the event by introducing the children of Blackhall Colliery and St Joseph's primary schools who sang a selection of seasonal favourites.

Fr Jackson from St Joseph's RC church then offered a blessing for the tree before leading the children in a countdown to the formal lighting up of the tree.

Thanks go to the clerk, chairman and members of Monk Hesleden Parish Council, along with the pupils and staff from both Blackhall Colliery and St Joseph's primary schools for their annual involvement in this ceremony which grows each year in popularity. Thanks also go to Fr Jackson.

Tomorrow night it will be the turn of Hesleden school children and residents to switch on the Christmas tree lights in their village. Please gather on the green outside of Hesleden Methodist chapel at 4pm.

It's time to light the Christmas trees in Hesleden and Blackhall!

You know that Christmas is just around the corner when Monk Hesleden Parish Council lights up its Christmas trees in Blackhall Colliery and Hesleden.

The details for this year's lighting ceremonies are shown below. We look forward to seeing you there!

  

A lighting service for our Christmas tree at Chickens Green, Blackhall will be held on Monday 30th November 2015 at 4.00pm.
Refreshments at St Joseph’s RC Primary School before the service.
******
The service for our Hesleden tree will be held on Tuesday 1st December 2015 at 4.00 pm.
Refreshments at the Hesleden Methodist Chapel after the service.
******

A sneak preview of Hesleden's Christmas tree for 2015

Consultation on terms and conditions of school support staff

We have been contacted over the past few weeks by teachers, teaching assistants, parents and quite a few others concerned about the potential impact on our schools of the council's proposed changes to the terms and conditions of school support staff (sometimes referred to as Teaching Assistants).

Rob and Lynn talking with primary school children from Blackhall and Hesleden at an event earlier this year at Blackhall Welfare Hall

As school governors in four separate schools across our ward we both see first-hand the tremendous dedication and hard work of our support staff and we completely understand the frustration they feel at the council's proposals, which are currently subject to a period of consultation.

We believe that the commitment of TA's has a hugely beneficial effect in the classroom, and consequently on the educational attainment of all our children, so we appreciate the real risks involved in appearing to undervalue support staff. Consequently we are determined to ensure that their concerns are considered and fully understood as part of the consultation process.

To this end we are compiling a dossier of all correspondence we receive relating to this matter which we will then forward to the offices of the relevant director and cabinet members at county hall, along with our own representations in support.

If you have an interest in this matter, and you haven't already done so, we would encourage you to contact the council as part of the current formal consultation process and have your say on the proposals.

In the meantime we have responded personally to all correspondence we have received and we have assured those who have made the effort to contact us that they have our continued support.   

Update on street light repair delays in Blackhall Colliery

Following our post on this site yesterday morning regarding street lighting problems in Blackhall Colliery, we have received the following update from the construction manager in the neighbourhood services section of Durham County Council. 

From his comments it would appear that Northern Power Grid is responsible for repairs to this section of lights, rather than the county council. With that in mind we will continue to apply pressure to the relevant agency to have these lights repaired as soon as possible:

The street lighting is out due to Northern Power Grid supply failure, this has been reported to NPG on 17th November we have requested their attendance as soon as possible. The first report of this section of lights being out to DCC was on the 10th November. We attended on 16th November and placed an order on NPG to restore on the 17th November. They have until the 8th January 2016 to restore however they normally attend outages such as this well before this target date. We will keep pressure on NPG to restore for an urgent attendance.

John Dent

Construction Manager

Neighbourhood Services

Durham County Council

Telephone: 03000 269229

Calls for more efficient street light repairs

We have become increasingly concerned recently about the council's failure to react to requests for street light repairs in our villages. 

Consequently we have written this morning to the street lighting engineer and relevant director at county hall asking them for an explanation for the delays to repair requests and also an indication of which measures the council proposes to take to rectify this problem.

The A1086 and B1281 junction in darkness at 6.40 this morning (Thursday 19 November)
(Taken from Chicken's Green, Emmerson Court can be seen at the left of the image with St Joseph's RC church to the right)

Please see below our correspondence to the street lighting engineer and director of neighbourhood services at county hall:

Despite repeated requests for street lighting repairs over many weeks we are seeing no progress whatsoever in Blackhall Colliery. There is one recent incident which gives us particular concern:

We came past the busy A1086/B1281 junction at St Joseph's in Blackhall at 6.30 yesterday morning (18 November) and there was very nearly a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian. This was caused undoubtedly by the junction being in complete darkness and we are concerned that it is only a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured because of street lighting faults. The fault here has been reported yet there have been no repairs nor has there been an explanation for any delay.

There are also further examples of individual street lights in the area which are reported for repair but which remain in darkness for weeks on end. We are then left to try and explain the lack of activity on the council’s part and we are running short of excuses to the point it becomes embarrassing to have to continuously defend the council’s position. One particular example is street light No819 at the corner of Fifth Street and the rear of East Street in Blackhall Colliery. We have reported this for repair on three separate occasions over the past three weeks (in addition to previous reports from residents in the area) yet the street remains in darkness, without explanation.

We would be grateful if you could let us know the reasons behind these persistent delays in street light repairs and also advise of what the council intends to do to rectify this particularly irritating and dangerous problem.

Friends of Blackhall Library

For some time now we have been involved in the early stages of establishing the Friends of Blackhall Library group which is intended to give local people the opportunity to play a part in supporting and sustaining their library service in Blackhall.

Membership of the group is open to anyone in the Monk Hesleden parish area and details of the next meeting of the group are shown below in a reproduction of a poster being distributed by the library manager Carol Close:

Friends of Blackhall Library

We are looking for volunteers from the Monk Hesleden parish area to create a ‘Friends of Blackhall Library’ group.

We would like people from all areas of the parish to represent the individual needs of the different localities.

A meeting is being held on 

Thursday 3 December at 5.30pm in the Library.

Please come and join us!

For more details contact Carol on 03000 269505

A devolution deal for the North East. Who will it benefit?

Over recent weeks details have begun to emerge through local media outlets of a North East devolution offer from chancellor George Osborne. 

Almost every report to be found on this subject gives the impression that a devolution deal, with a directly-elected mayor being forced on the whole of the North East region, is a done deal signed off between Osborne and the leaders of the seven local authorities in the region. This is a misleading and inaccurate approach, intended perhaps to give the impression that all is done and dusted and that there is no turning back. 

Given that the imposition of a directly elected mayor on the North East region would prove extremely unpopular with the people we think that this matter is far too important to be railroaded through. For this reason we thought it would be helpful to clarify a few details here in the hope that it will better inform the people of the region about what awaits should the devolution proposals be accepted.

Firstly, the deal is not yet finalised despite claims in most media reports. The leaders of the seven North East local authorities have simply agreed with Osborne to move negotiations on to the next stage. This level includes the option of signing a devolution deal at some point in the future if a number of conditions can be satisfactorily met. 

Those conditions include agreement on a fair funding settlement for local councils through the chancellor's comprehensive spending review statement scheduled for 25 November, further consultation with the public (for county Durham residents this will mean a postal vote on the proposals) and finally the agreement of all seven constituent local authorities.

We think that the potential impact of the devolution offer will be so wide-reaching for our residents and communities that anything less than full engagement with the public, including a binding public vote, would be unacceptable and be seen as such by the people of our region. Part of that process of course must include starting a public debate on the proposals so that people will know exactly what they are being asked to vote on.

Durham County Council, along with the Area Action Partnerships, will be holding a series of consultation events in the coming months, leading up to the ballot to be held at some point in the new year.

We would encourage everyone to attend these sessions to help them to find out as much as they can about the devolution proposals and what they will really mean for our people and their communities in terms of funding and governance arrangements.

Our personal position is that Osborne's devolution proposal in its current form, and on his terms, offers nothing of any real benefit for the people of the North East but please get in touch and let us know what you think.

Remembrance Sunday at Blackhall Colliery

Remembrance Sunday commemoration services will be held throughout the county this coming Sunday 8 November when we will honour the sacrifice made by many in defence of our country during two world wars and other conflicts over the years.

We will be laying a wreath on behalf of the members of Durham County Council at the memorial in Blackhall Colliery Welfare Park and we have also arranged for a buffet to be made available at Blackhall Cricket Club immediately after the ceremony. All are welcome.

The memorial garden at Blackhall Colliery Welfare Park

Please gather at the main gates of Blackhall Welfare Park, Blackhall Colliery at 10.50am

Please note that there will also be services held at other venues throughout our ward including at Hesleden Methodist Chapel and at Castle Eden

Street lighting issues at Blackhall Rocks and Crimdon

Earlier this week we received reports from residents at Blackhall Rocks that the street lights were out along the stretch of the coast road at Leaholme Terrace.

We immediately reported the outage for repair and residents reported that the street lights had been fixed but by Wednesday evening they were out again.

Last night we received further reports that the street lights were out at the stretch of highway from Ocean View heading south toward Crimdon.

We again contacted the highways section this morning at county hall to ask for immediate repairs. We felt that urgency was required given the increase in traffic in this area caused by the coast road currently being used as a diversionary route while overnight resurfacing works are carried out on the A19.

We have reproduced the highways team's response in full below. We will report on progress as we receive further updates.

Hi Rob / Lynn,

I have been in touch with street lighting with regards to the reported street light issues. I have been told that there are issues throughout the Coast Road. Street Lighting are currently investigating all the faults in the area. The first section has been left on test (day burning) to see if there is a further issue here and they will be in attendance today to try and resolve the issue with the lights that are out on this stretch.

I have also been told around ¾ of the lights have been repaired and they are working on the rest.

Environmental health update on flies at High Hesleden and Blackhall

We contacted the environmental health section at county hall a few weeks ago following complaints from residents, particularly at High Hesleden, about swarms of flies in the village (see post dated Friday 9 October 2015 for further details).

We have since received an update report from an officer within the environmental health department and we have reproduced his response below in full for information:

Hello Rob and Lynn,

                                     

The area was visited by myself on Tuesday afternoon (13 October) approximately 18.00 hours, at which time it was observed that several fields had been spread with a straw based manure product. The field (east) to the rear of the bungalows had subsequently been ploughed and the field to the side (north) was in winter wheat/barley and was top spread again with a straw based manure.

No odour was noticed at the time of my visit and no flies or rodents were observed.

We are quite surprised that no problems were observed or recorded during the visit as we have had a number of complaints from other residents in surrounding villages and we have also noticed similar problems ourselves in Blackhall Rocks and Blackhall Colliery. We are also aware from previous complaints from residents that this is a regularly recurring issue in the area at this time of the year.

Consequently we have asked that the officer maintains contact with the initial complainant to ensure that the matter is resolved to the satisfaction of residents in the affected areas.

Blackhall Resource Centre hosts "Blackhall Heroes" book launch

Blackhall Resource Centre was packed to the rafters on Saturday 10 October for the event to launch the Local History Group's latest publication "Blackhall Heroes : Second World War, 1939 to 1945".

The event was officially opened by the Chairman of Durham County Council, Cllr Jan Blakey, who congratulated members of the Blackhalls Local History Group for their efforts in gathering such high quality information which would be used to help future generations to understand how local people shaped their communities and the world around them.

Left to right: Lynn, Jan Blakey (Chairman of Durham County Council) and Rob

Members of the Local History Group, both past and present, were also in attendance to welcome visitors to the event, to talk about how they put the book together and also about the plans they had for the future. Grahame Morris MP for Easington also called in to have a chat with residents and members of the History Group.

Left to right: Lynn, Grahame Morris MP and Rob

We would like to record our sincere thanks to members of the Blackhalls Local History Group for kindly inviting us to attend the book launch. It was a fantastic event befitting the publication of such an excellent local history book which will serve well both present and future generations.

We would also like to thank Jan and Grahame for coming along to the event. And last, but certainly not least, we would like to offer our gratitude the many people, both local and visiting, who came out in their numbers to make the day such a great success.

The book costs just £5 and is available from George Robinson & Son, Meikle's Pharmacy and Blackhall Resource Centre, all in Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery.

Flies in Blackhall and High Hesleden

We have received a significant number of complaints over the last day or so from residents in Blackhall Rocks and High Hesleden about odours and plagues of flies reported to be coming from the fields around their homes.

This is a recurrent issue, particularly at this time of the year, and considering previous experience may be related to slurry spreading on the fields around our villages.

We have contacted officers in the Environmental Health section at Durham County Council to ask them to investigate the source of this problem and take whichever action is possible and appropriate to limit the impact on our residents.

Please see posts on this site dated 10 & 11 September 2012 for information relating to this matter.

We're proud to support our Local History Group's latest book

Please click on the link below for an article taken from the Now East Durham online newspaper giving details of the event to be held tomorrow to launch the latest book published by the Blackhall Local History Group:

www.noweastdurham.co.uk

People who are interested in the local history of East Durham should probably head down to Blackhall Resource Centre on Saturday the 10^th of October from 10.30am where Blackhall Local History Group will be launching their new book Blackhall Heroes which details the contributions and sacrifices Blackhall made in the Second World War, with the book launch being attended by the British Legion Standards and Jan Blakey the current Chairman of Durham County Council.

The book is a collection of about 30 stories from local people about the war such as stories passed down by their families and is the final product of about six years of research and collating information by Blackhall Local History Group including treasurer Stanley Grey it is also the book that took the longest to put together out of the five they have done so far which collectively account the history of Blackhall from its early coal mining days to the Second World War. The book was funded by a £2000 donation from Blackhall councillors Rob Crute and Lynn Pounder but also from the History Group’s own pockets which shows it is a real labour of love.

The book comes after a fairly big and busy year for the History Group which saw them receive national coverage for their display on Blackhall in the First World War for the centenary of the war which involved local people and children and was shown in several local primary schools and the group also purchased a new memorial with the help of the North East branch of the Coal Industrial Social Welfare Organisation. It’s hoped that the new book may push more local people into coming forward with their stories about WWII.

So go down on Saturday if your interested as people should make an effort to learn local history as that’s a huge part in what gives an area its identity, or if you want to buy the book they cost £5 and are available in Robinson’s hardware store, Meikle Pharmacy, Blackhall Resource Centre or by contacting Stanley Gray directly through e-mail at stangray@btinternet.com where you can work it out between yourselves. Or if you are really interested you could join the group which are always looking for new members so that you can take part in whatever project the History Group are moving on to next in their effort to record the growth and development of Blackhall.

Roadworks at Glenholme Terrace, Blackhall Colliery

We have received advance notification of roadworks due to be carried out later this month at Glenholme Terrace in Blackhall Colliery.

The works will entail the temporary closure of the road to the rear of Glenholme Terrace and full details are given below:

Glenholme Terrace (rear), Blackhall Colliery

Temporary Road Closure Order

An Order is being made under the provisions of Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which will be to close to vehicular traffic from 19 October 2015 a 104 metre length of rear Glenholme Terrace (nos 1-19), Blackhall Colliery.

The closure is necessary to enable electricity supply upgrade works to be undertaken which will probably take some 7 weeks to complete to be carried out to that length of road.

Throughout the period of closure an alternative route will be available to vehicular traffic via the front of Glenholme Terrace (A1086 Coast Road).

Blackhall Heroes of the Second World War

The Blackhalls Local History Group is holding a launch event at Blackhall Resource Centre in Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery this Saturday at 10.30am to introduce their new book Blackhall Heroes of the Second World War.

We are delighted to have been able to give financial support to the History Group in the form of a grant from the council's Neighbourhood Budget and we are very much looking forward to this weekend's event.  

Please do your best to come along to the Resource Centre on Saturday and show your support for the great work of our History Group.

We hope to see you there but if you can't make it we'll be reporting on the event on this site early next week.

Another successful Bank Holiday Flower Show in Blackhall

Earlier this week, on Bank Holiday Monday, we went along to the 3rd Annual Flower and Vegetable Show which was held at Blackhall Community Centre (or better known to some of us as Blackhall Welfare Hall). We are proud to be associated with this event which has continuously helped to promote both Blackhall as a village and our Community Centre as a high quality venue for events such as this.

We helped to finance the very first show at the venue back in 2013 and we are delighted to have been able to find funding for it every year since. The number of people attending the show, either as exhibitors or as visitors, has increased each year and this year was particularly well attended despite the dull and damp bank holiday weather.

The event has rapidly become one of the most prestigious of its type in the region and has even attracted entries from across the country. On top of that the variety and quality of the produce shown has improved each year and this year was certainly no exception.

We would like to take the opportunity to show our gratitude to the other event funders, including a healthy number of local businesses, but special thanks must go to the event organiser John Peace who continues to put his heart and soul into everything he does year on year.