Damaged pavement at Bluebell Close, Blackhall Colliery

Reports have been received from neighbours that the roots of a tree in Bluebell Close are causing severe damage to an adjacent pavement. Residents have concerns that if left in this condition the lifting pathway will cause a tripping hazard.

Checks on the system have confirmed that maintenance of the tree is the responsibility of the County Durham Housing Group so arrangements have been made with officers of the housing group for the tree to be inspected.


Following assessment repairs will be carried out to the pavement.

Roadworks next week at Castle Eden

We have received notification of road works to take place next week on the B1281 at Castle Eden Golf Club:

B1281

Castle Eden golf club, Castle Eden

Sewer lining

2 way lights (manual control at peak times)

29 August

31 August

Northumbrian Water

Priority signage query at High Hesleden

Following reports of confusion among motorists, especially those visiting our area, we received a request from residents in High Hesleden for priority signs to be erected on the chicanes in the village.

We asked officers in the highways section at county hall to consider this request and offer their advice. Last month we received the following response:

The chicanes were introduced following consultation with residents on traffic calming proposals.  I am advised that at the time it was agreed that they would be introduced without the additional signage to enable the scheme to fit within your available budget.  However it was considered that the existing chicane had performed adequately without the said signing and we had not received any complaints previously regarding the absence of the signs.  The signs are not a mandatory requirement so they could be omitted from the scheme although the Give Way markings are provided and are clear.  An additional consideration for this is that the majority of traffic using the route is local traffic and these should be motorists who will be fully aware of the features and how they operate – strangers to an area tend to drive a lot more cautiously.

I have in the past inspected the locations both during daylight and also at night to check the conspicuity of the features.  When I am passing I will check to make sure that the markings are still in a functional state and have them reinstated if necessary.

The presence of signs does not remove the issue of the impatient drivers from trying to beat the opposing vehicle through the chicane whether there is priority for them or not.  This situation occurs at all chicanes and priority narrowings from time to time and is typical of some of the motorists using the highway.  Additionally there are no recorded personal injury accidents attributable to the chicanes or lack of understanding of the road layout.  We therefore do not have justification to consider it necessary to commit funding to the provision of the signs which require illumination.

If you are minded to fund a scheme for the provision of the signs, I would suggest that it will not be a cheap due to the means of obtaining the electrical supply.  Two of the supplies will have to be obtained from an NEDL overhead supply and all will involve underground ducting.  Whilst I have not been able to get this costed, I would expect that it would run into several thousand pounds.

On receipt of the response above we queried the necessity for illuminated signage which clearly had the effect of making any modifications unrealistically costly. We received the following advice yesterday:

In the issue of who has priority at the chicanes, the road markings indicate which lane has to ‘Give Way’ to the opposing lane.  At each feature a ‘Give Way’ marking is provided across one traffic lane which motorists must comply with, this is covered by Rule 172 of the Highway Code which all motorists should be aware of.  The ‘Give Way’ marking is classed as a regulatory sign with regard to the legislation.

The upright signs available for a priority feature such as a pinch point or chicane are provided to support the road markings but not replace them.    

With regard to the provision of signs on the public highway we have to follow legislation issued by the Government.  There are specific signs which are permitted to be provided at locations where there is a priority arrangement (one is a blue backed sign and the other is a regulatory circular sign with a red ring – both have arrows indicating the order of priority).  Whilst it is not a

requirement to have to provide these signs, if it is considered necessary, they are provided at each side of the priority. 

In the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (the main legislation covering the provision of signs), it is mandatory for the regulatory (circular) sign to be illuminated.  Notwithstanding this, it is standard practice to provide all road signs in a reflective material however this does not override the necessity to light a regulatory sign.

We are also instructed by the Department for Transport to minimise the use of road signs and consider removing them where possible.  This is an attempt to de-clutter the highway and public realm.

Traffic calming scheme at Hazel Drive to go ahead

At a meeting on Saturday afternoon of The Hesledens Residents' Association we were asked about progress with residents' requests for traffic calming measures to be installed at Hazel Drive (please see posts dated Friday 27 January & Wednesday 17 May 2017 for background details).

Having made enquiries this morning with the highways department at county hall we have received the following response confirming that the scheme is scheduled to proceed as planned, as soon as any outstanding legal matters have been addressed:

With regard to the scheme to introduce traffic calming in Hazel Drive, we have not received any further objections and had no response from the objectors, we are therefore able to take the scheme forward.  Unfortunately there has been a slight delay in finalising the legal details however this is progressing and the legal notice to permit the installation of road humps is being expedited.

I am sorry for the delay.

Kind regards

Dispelling myths about private sector housing in Blackhall Colliery

Some time ago we were approached by someone who was quite critical about the role he assumed the council played in housing people in private sector properties in Blackhall Colliery.

His opinion was that the county council was able to direct a private landlord, against his or her will, to offer a tenancy to someone he deemed "undesirable". Because of this mistaken belief he felt that the council was to blame for what he thought was a high rate of "undesirable" tenants in privately owned and rented properties in the village.

We told him that his understanding was incorrect and that landlords in the private sector could decide for themselves, without council interference, who they wished to offer tenancies to. We acknowledged that landlords in the private sector did work alongside the council's housing section but only through the Private Landlord Accreditation Scheme (PLAS) which is entirely voluntary on the part of the landlord.

Naturally we were concerned that some people appeared to believe that the council could force individual private landlords to accommodate what our critical friend termed "undesirable" people, so to put the record straight we contacted the Housing Solutions team at county hall for their advice and we received the following clarification:

I would like to clarify for you and your residents the points raised about private sector properties, which is the same for all areas of the county and is no different for Blackhall Colliery.

The council is not responsible for the condition of any privately owned property. The responsibility lies with the property owner. The council have a duty to inspect any claims of disrepair made by a tenant and serve notice on landlords where appropriate. The tenant must have written to the landlord to request the repairs in the first instance and only where the landlord has failed to carry out the repairs will the environmental health service get involved.

Ongoing development and growth of the Private Landlord Accreditation Scheme (PLAS) is a high priority for Housing Solutions and provides many outcomes:

It ensures positive engagement with private landlords and agents

It ensures a good quality of accommodation for tenants

It provides an arena for negotiation with landlords to sustain tenancies for people in need especially in times of financial hardship

It provides support to landlords to help deal with any issues they may have with their tenants or managing their tenancies as a whole.

It helps the authority prevent homelessness

It helps the authority discharge their homelessness duty, and

It provides confidence to tenants that their landlord operates professionally

The scheme offers benefits to landlords, tenants and communities as landlords sign a code of practice which includes their management practices, property condition and their good character.

When people present to Housing Solutions as homeless or threatened with homelessness the council have a duty to source accommodation for them and we utilise the accredited LA properties for this as the properties have been inspected by the private sector initiatives officers prior to being let.

Accommodating customers into the private rented sector is nothing new to the council. The difference is we now utilise properties available through PLAS rather than non-accredited landlords.

As always the decision of who to house is that of the landlord not the council and the council have no duty to prevent a landlord housing a tenant. At best we work with them and offer advice.

I have checked our records and since 1^st January 2017. Housing solutions have helped two people to be housed in Blackhall Colliery. In the same period of time we have received only two reports of anti-social behaviour relating to private sector tenancies and they are not the people we have helped to house.

Hopefully the information received from the housing department will dispel some of the myths currently circulating our villages about the council's powers in relation to private sector tenancies.

Finally we would like to make it clear that in our experience the vast majority of private sector landlords are responsible and reputable, with most reacting quickly to reports of disruptive tenants or untidy properties. Sadly the tiny minority of irresponsible (and often absent) landlords has a disproportionately negative and disruptive impact on our community. The PLAS, currently optional for the landlord, is intended to rectify this situation.

If you would like further clarification, please don't hesitate to contact us in the usual way.

Application to convert St James' church, Castle Eden into a dwelling

We have received notification of a planning application seeking consent to convert the former St James' Church at The Village, Castle Eden into a dwelling place.

Please see below details of the application. Any formal representations, comments or queries relating to this application should be made directly to the planning office at county hall via the DCC online planning portal at: County Durham online planning application system

DM/17/02618/FPA	Diocese of West Yorkshire	St James Church The Village Castle Eden Hartlepool TS27 4SF	Change of use from redundant place of worship to dwelling (full plans application)	Blackhalls   Castle Eden

 

DM/17/02620/LB

Diocese of West Yorkshire

St James Church The Village Castle Eden Hartlepool TS27 4SF

Change of use from redundant place of worship to dwelling (listed building application)

Blackhalls   Castle Eden