Reports of dog poisoning at Blackhall Colliery

We posted on social media outlets yesterday about local reports of dogs apparently being poisoned after walking in an area behind the Hackworth Road industrial estate at Blackhall Colliery.

We immediately contacted the local police, the direct services team and environmental health officers at Durham County Council to ask for information on what precisely had happened and to ask that any relevant information be conveyed to the public as soon as possible. We received an initial response from the local police community support officer and we have reproduced below in full:

I was called to the incident this morning and attended with Fire in case there were any toxic gases or other chemicals involved. An area search was undertaken in the area highlighted, the walkway behind the industrial units, and nothing obvious was found. I have placed a notice at the start of the pathway advising of the possible issues and asking for information. I have also spoken to the local Parish Clerk in case this is something that is brought up next week by residents.

At present, we have no idea what has caused these illnesses and deaths or whether it is harmful to people. As I say, Fire attended with their gas sniffer and no anomalies were reported. I have also spoken to various dog walkers to make them aware. I do not wish to cause any undue panic in the area and hopefully these incidents will be isolated and the cause found via vets examination. Fire were in contact with Clifton Lodge vets where one of the dogs went.

For future reference, our incident number is DHM-29042017-0175

It was also confirmed by the police that officers at the RSPCA had been made aware of the incidents to enable them to deal with public enquiries.

The head of the direct services department at the county council confirmed that neighbourhood wardens had also been alerted to the incidents, along with the central communications office at county hall to ensure a coordinated and clear response as soon as more details are known.

Clearly the bank holiday period makes it more difficult to contact the different agencies involved in this incident but we will monitor developments over the next few days and get out as much information as we can, as soon as possible. We appreciate that this is a hugely distressing time for those dog owners affected by this incident so we will try to strike the right balance when putting information out to the general public.

In the meantime please take care extra care when out with your pets and please do your best to avoid the affected area immediately behind the Hackworth Road industrial estate.

International Workers' Memorial Day 2017

Each year Hartlepool Trades Union Council organises a memorial service to commemorate all the workers worldwide who have lost their lives through industrial accident or work -related disease.

We were privileged to be invited once again, along with the Blackhall NUM banner, to attend the International Workers' Memorial Day service at Christchurch in Hartlepool and remember those workers who have lost their lives and are not recognised on any other formal occasion.

The service itself consisted of moving and emotional speeches from national and regional trades union officials and included calls for stronger health and safety legislation to help prevent deaths in the workplace and also more effective measures to eliminate illness and disease caused by dangerous working practices.

The service ended outside Christchurch with a wreath laying ceremony during which we placed a wreath on behalf of those many thousands of workers worldwide who each year lose their lives unnecessarily through accident and work-related illness.

Remember the dead, fight for the living

Further reports of dog fouling in Hesleden

Earlier this year we received complaints from residents in Hesleden about a marked increase in incidents of dog fouling around the village, and specifically on open public spaces and grassed areas used by children (please see posts on this site dated Tuesday 17 January 2017 & Friday 3 February 2017 for background details).

At the time we asked the council to clean up those areas worst affected and to consider any measures proven to be successful in dealing with problems of this nature. We also visited Hesleden Primary School to ask the children to design a poster aimed at deterring irresponsible dog walkers from allowing their pets to make a mess of the village. This project will soon be completed and will produce a full-sized banner for public display near to the school.

Sadly those measures appear to have had limited impact, certainly in some areas, so we have contacted the neighbourhood wardens at county hall again today to ask them to come up with a more effective method of dealing with the problem of dog fouling in the village. In addition we have asked the wardens to come out to Hesleden with us to meet residents and see for themselves the extent of the problem.

Whilst ultimately it is the responsibility of individual dog walkers to clean up after their pets we will make sure that the council does everything in its powers to fulfill its own responsibility and enforce its dog fouling policy in full in areas where it is needed most.

We will update on progress with this matter as soon as we receive a response from the neighbourhood wardens team. In the meantime we have asked that the worst areas are again cleaned up.

Great turnout for the Crimdon Beach Clean Event

We couldn't have wished for better weather for the first Beach Clean litter picking event this afternoon at Crimdon.

A group of keen volunteers gathered at the warden's hut at 1.30pm to distribute the litter picking equipment and prepare for a couple of hours clearing the sand dunes of rubbish and debris. Hopefully today's turnout was sufficient to establish the clean-up as a regular monthly event, and it's quite obvious from the rubbish collected that it's needed! 

In the coming few days we'll be contacting the council's Clean and Green team, along with the Countryside Rangers, to arrange a coordinated approach to collecting the litter along the top of the promenade area and also on the beach itself.

In the longer term we'll be looking closely at the outcome of the Crimdon Investment Project scheme to see which measures can be taken to better address litter issues along this part of the Durham coast as part of a wider business plan to kick-start the regeneration of Crimdon.

In the meantime we will continue to work with members of the Crimdon Heritage Group to ensure as far as possible that where litter is found it will be collected without delay.

Residents' concerns about access to the Castle Eden crematorium site

Concerns have been raised locally about the recently re-opened access route to the former A19 at Castle Eden which had previously been made subject to a Traffic Regulation Order to prohibit vehicles and prevent serious illegal activities at the site. The road is also intended to serve as access to the controversial Castle Eden crematorium (please see posts dated Tuesday 24 May 2016 & Friday 30 December 2016 for background information and full details of our objections as submitted to the planning inspector).

We have contacted the planning case officer at county hall today to express local concerns and to ask for the site to be once again made secure against trespass. We have published full details below:

Last night, at the monthly meeting of Castle Eden parish council, members raised concerns about open access to the old A19 which also serves as access to the site of the proposed Castle Eden crematorium.

It is reported that two 2-ton stone slabs, placed in that location to prevent access to the site, have been moved aside thereby leaving access to the old A19 open to the public. As you are aware this site has historically been associated with serious illegal sexual activities. Members of the parish council, along with the residents of Castle Eden, are understandably alarmed at this development so soon after assurances were given that the site would remain secure against such activities. 

I would be grateful if you would contact Dignity plc to remind them of their responsibility to the people of Castle Eden in ensuring that access to this site remains fully secured at all times. I understand that the parish clerk is to contact the police today about this problem.

In addition, members of the parish council also raised questions last night about the timescale involved in Dignity plc meeting the conditions attached to planning permission granted on appeal to construct a crematorium at a location adjacent to the site mentioned above. I would be grateful if you could advise accordingly.

We will report on developments with this matter in due course.

Crimdon litter-picking event this Sunday

The Crimdon Project Officer from the Heritage Coast Partnership is organising a litter-picking event to take place at Crimdon this coming Sunday, 23 April.

Depending on its initial success it is hoped that Sunday's litter-pick could develop into a regular monthly event. 

We'll both be there to lend a hand, along with members of the Crimdon Heritage Group, so please make every effort to come along and play a part in keeping Crimdon clean and tidy!

We have published below all the details we have received about Sunday's event:

We will be meeting on Sunday next to the warden’s hut just past Pony World. Session will run from 1:30pm – 3:30pm to fit with tide times. If people wish to turn up a few minutes before that’s fine and they can stay for as long or as little time as they can spare. They just need to dress for the weather, I will have everything else such as litter pickers, bags and gloves.

If people want to stay up to date with our events and information they can follow us on Facebook at https://en-gb.facebook.com/Durham-Heritage-Coast-204620272881541/

Works to resurface the Hesleden access track

We have received the following information from a director of MD2, via the parish clerk, relating to resurfacing works taking place along the access track between Hesleden WMC and the pit-heap.

Works are due to be completed later today but we'll monitor progress, just to be sure. Please get in touch in the usual way if you have any queries in relation to this matter:

Just following up our meeting to confirm on Tuesday April 18^th we will be undertaking works to tarmac the access track.

This will commence around 9.00am and consist of 12 no. tarmac wagons entering Hesleden from Myra Avenue and departing along Gray Avenue. We envisage the works will take about 4 – 5 hours.

The wagons will reverse down the access track to deliver the materials.

  

The works also include the tarmac placement on the walkway and alterations to the walkway wooden access posts (adjacent to the barriers) by reducing the  allowable distance between posts to deter quad bikes but still allowing wheelchair/cycle access. The tarmac on the walkway will be placed to fall to drain into the surrounding ditches.

The following pedestrian/traffic  management will be introduced.

·         Works in Progress signs along the access track and either side east-west along the walkway.

·         Pedestrian management along the walkway, if required.

Progress with Crimdon Investment Project works

We met yesterday at Crimdon with officers from the Heritage Coast Partnership to discuss progress with the Crimdon Investment Project and also to see for ourselves the progress made with the ongoing environmental improvement works at the access points to the beach (please see related posts elsewhere on this site for background details).

It was pleasing to see that the works underway to realign the flagstones at the steps and to repair some of the damaged fencing was making good progress. Works to tidy up the rest of the steps and edge-off the access pavements are scheduled to take place soon. Officers reported that while most of the fence replacement works were now almost finished there was some work still to do with the welded fencing and this would be completed soon when the bespoke parts became available.

We also took the opportunity to review the Crimdon Investment Project which is intended to work towards a site management plan and the development of a business plan to provide an information point, public toilets, an arts and heritage display and cafeteria. It will also see the start of works to construct a boardwalk across the dunes leading hopefully to Crimdon becoming an events location at some point in the near future (full details of the Crimdon Investment Project can be found in our post dated Sunday 2 April 2017).

Works as detailed above are progressing well and access works to the dunes are expected to commence soon. This will be preceded by an organised litter-pick at the beach on Sunday 23 April with the prospect of this becoming a regular monthly event. We will post more details as soon as we have them.

Clearly the success of the Crimdon Investment Project's findings and recommendations will be largely reliant on funding and we are currently working towards putting a package together.

We will continue to monitor progress on the schemes detailed above and we will update regularly whenever significant developments come to light. In the meantime please try to get to Crimdon whenever you can. We are convinced that with the right approach and with the support of the public we can once more make Crimdon an attractive tourist and leisure destination.

Defibrillator for Blackhall Rocks

Yesterday we made our regular weekly visit to the Blackhall Rocks Residents' Association coffee morning at Kasko House in Blackhall Rocks.

We were joined on this occasion by the parish clerk to discuss with residents' association members the final steps to be taken in installing a community defibrillator. This follows the provision of two public-use defibrillators in Blackhall Colliery and one at Castle Eden (please see previous posts on this site for background information).

A suitable location for the defibrillator was found at the front of the building which would allow for easy public access in the event of an emergency and also enable the equipment to be easily connected to the power supply.

We have already made sure that funding for the defibrillator is secured so all that remains now is for the installation to take place, which is expected within the next few weeks, and for the free public training sessions to get underway.

The next stage in the roll-out of our programme is to install a community defibrillator in Hesleden and then provide them in the remaining villages in our ward (where residents want them of course, and if a suitable location can be found) and this will begin as soon as possible.

Action to tackle noise from propane gas guns (bird deterrents)

Following a significant number of complaints from residents recently we contacted officers in the Environmental Health unit at county hall to express our concerns about disturbance caused by the use of bird deterrents (propane gas guns) in and around our villages, especially during the early hours of the morning.

We acknowledge of course that we live in a semi-rural area and the use of such deterrents is essential for our farmers but we also understand the concerns of our residents and we recognise the need to ensure that noise disturbance from such measures is kept to an absolute minimum.

We have received the following response from the unit which includes a link to National Farmers' Union (NFU) guidelines on the use of such deterrents on farmers' fields:

It certainly sounds like bird scarers going off. Farmers tend to use them after their fields are sowed with crops and is usually a temporary measure while they take hold. I have attached the NFU code of practice for your information which may give you an idea if the use is outside the recommended practice.

http://www.nfuonline.com/assets/4662

If you require any further information or the noise persists please let me know.

The reports we have received from residents indicate that bird deterrents are being used quite frequently before sunrise and after sunset, thereby contravening NFU guidelines as detailed above.

Accordingly, we have now asked the Environmental Health unit to take whichever steps are required to ensure that bird deterrents are used only in a way which complies with NFU guidelines and which puts and end to the disturbance for residents nearby.

We will monitor progress with this matter and update in due course.

Streetlight repair request at Station Town

Despite repeated requests for repairs to the faulty streetlights on the approach to the chicane on the road linking Wingate with Station Town we have received reports that the area remains in darkness.

We have been in touch with the county highways department again this afternoon and we've asked them to review the background to streetlight repair requests at this location because it's possible that any complex or structural faults may have already been passed to Northern Power Grid for repair. We've also asked them to carry out an inspection of the lights and arrange for repairs to be carried out wherever possible without delay.

We have also asked for repairs to be carried out to the damaged bollard in the road between Church Street and Station Lane in Station Town.

We will monitor these repair requests and update on progress as soon as we receive further information.

Purdah guidelines in the run up to the local elections

You may know already that local elections are scheduled to be held across County Durham on Thursday 4 May 2017.

Although we don't normally use our blog for party political purposes we thought it best to make it clear that we are governed by purdah guidelines in the period before an election and that we intend to comply with the convention dictating the conduct of local councillors during the purdah period. 

This means that we will remain politically impartial in our reporting on this site and that we will continue to use our blog solely as a direct means of communicating our work on behalf of our constituents.

Purdah guidelines however do not interfere with our role as councillors so if you have any queries or concerns you would like us to deal with please continue to contact us in the usual way.

Monthly ward surgery details

Following a query from a group of residents we met with recently please note below full details of our monthly ward surgeries:

FIRST Friday: Blackhall Community Centre: 9.30am to 10.30am

THIRD Friday: Blackhall Library: 9.30am to 10.30am

LAST Thursday: Hesleden Methodists Chapel: 9.30am to 11.00am

LAST Thursday: Blackhall Library: 6.00pm to 7.00pm

If you have any issues you want to discuss with us or any concerns you would like us to deal with, and you can't come along to one of our surgeries, just contact us in the usual way and we'll make all necessary arrangements to suit your circumstances.

Work schedule to address environmental issues at Crimdon

Earlier this week we reported on a number of environmental issues at Crimdon (please see post dated Monday 3 April 2017 for background details).

We now have an update from officers at the Heritage Coast Partnership on a schedule of works to tackle the issues that were initially reported. We have published full details below for information:

Repairs to the missing blocks at the top of the path, slipped flag stones part way down the path and spading off of the path sides will begin Monday 10 April. When the blocks and flags are being replaced, the steps will need to be temporarily closed to keep the area safe whilst work is carried out

To maintain the clearance of the paths over the summer period John Fenwick’s team is arranging for the Probation teams they work with to keep an eye on them

Repair to the railings will take longer as the parts need to be sourced. John Fenwick will update on timings once the welder knows when he will have the parts to make the repair

We will continue to monitor and report on progress.

Environmental issues at Crimdon

Following reports recently of a number of environmental issues at Crimdon we contacted officers from the county council and the Heritage Coast Partnership to press for repair works to be carried out as soon as possible and also to enquire about the timescales involved.

The team has responded to our query and we have reproduced their comments below. We will watch out for improvement works and update on progress in due course:

The issue of the hand rail repairs, dog waste and path repairs are the responsibility of Clean and Green (Grounds) team. I spoke with the area supervisor last week and am meeting him on site this Wednesday. We aim for the repairs to be complete this week but it may be early next week before the rail and flags are repaired.

Changes to the steps at the bottom and the central boardwalk will take longer with work not physically taking place until late September. This is down to a number of reasons including the permitted timings for such work given the areas designations as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation. The work I’m doing now with Natural England and all the teams will ensure everything is in place for when the work can be done.

Please see our report dated Sunday 2 April 2017 for background information on the Crimdon Investment Project which is intended as a longer-term plan for improving services and facilities at Crimdon.

Crimdon Investment Project

Late last year we met up again with the county council's Heritage Coast Officer to discuss in more detail the long-term plans to rejuvenate Crimdon by improving facilities and access to the beach. We talked about how we would like to build on its current success as a day-visit destination and try to revive Crimdon's tourism potential to return it, as far as possible, to the busy, bustling resort of the post-war period.

Crimdon pavilion

Of course perceptions and expectations have changed considerably since then. People see the world through different eyes and they have different priorities for holidays, travel and leisure time. However that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to revive Crimdon's potential, generate some pride in our coastal communities and once again attract visitors to what was, and should be, Durham's premier coastal resort. Under the current economic climate that may be a long way off but we need to start somewhere and that's where the Crimdon Investment Project comes in.

We have reproduced below the brief for the project as we discussed it with officers in November. We will be seeking a progress report soon and we'll post an update in due course:

Crimdon Investment Project Brief

Context

Following the recovery of the Durham Coast, Crimdon beach and dunes have become a popular day visit destination, with an over 440,000 site visitors per year (2016) and the England Coast Path traversing the site. There are no services or facilities for visitors, with the nearest public toilets five miles away and limited on site information.

The site is also home to a breeding colony of little tern, an endangered bird that returns to Crimdon annually from West Africa to breed. The site has multiple nature conservation designations; Special Protection Area, Ramsar, Special Area of Conservation, Site of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserve, the shore is included in the Teesmouth and Cleveland European Marine Site. Crimdon Dene is a Local Nature Reserve.

Project

This project will:

1.    The development of an integrated site management plan to improve the experience of visitors, neighbour relations and reduce operational and reputation risk and revenue costs to DCC.

2.    Develop a business plan for the funding, construction and operation of a purpose built facility that will provide an information point; (if possible a volunteer and safety and security hub (CoastWatch)); public toilets; art and heritage display and site interpretation in the form of a café. This will require a fully costed building design and fit out to RIBA Stage 4

3.    Stakeholder and partner consultation using creative techniques. The site neighbours include a caravan site and a pony trekking centre. We are keen that their views and those of users are included in the development of the site, particularly around vehicle and pedestrian routing and management.

4.    The construction of a boardwalk across the dunes as a clear access route, alongside the closure of desire lines through the dunes to conserve and protect SAC habitat, focussing visitors and improving the natural asset by reducing trampling damage.

5.    Provision of education and public engagement for EU Life funded little tern recovery project

6.    Funding and operating Business Plan developed and adopted.

7.    Funding opportunities and options appraised and bids submitted as timeframes allow.

If time and opportunity allow the feasibility of developing the whole site as an outdoor, events location will be assessed.

Timeline:

This initial phase of the project is time limited until 31^st October 2017.

Budget:

Total budget will be £116,000 including staff, access and habitat works.