Roadworks at Castle Eden and Crimdon

We have received notification of both ongoing and scheduled road works at Crimdon and Castle Eden.

Please see below for details:

A1086

Coast Road, Crimdon

Gas leak investigation and repair

2 way lights

22 January

31 January

Northern Gas Networks

C22

Stockton Road, Castle Eden

Telecom cabling work

2 way lights (9:00am - 4:00pm)

1 February

5 February

British Telecom

Tackling environmental issues in Blackhall Colliery

Following environmental concerns raised with us recently by a number of residents we arranged for officers from all relevant sections of the council to visit the village to see for themselves the locations worst affected.

The approach to the Scheme Houses

Most of the issues reported to us related to litter, dog fouling, fly-tipping and the condition of some private sector rented properties in the village - particularly back yards - so we asked for representatives from the neighbourhood wardens, police, anti-social behaviour unit, private sector office and the clean and green team to go on a walkabout with us around the village.

The main locations highlighted by residents for attention included Hardwick Street, West Street, West Avenue, the approach to the Scheme Houses, East Street, some of the back lanes between First Street and Eleventh Street, open spaces and a number of individual properties throughout the village.

The back lane between Ninth & Tenth Streets

Following the walkabout we got together in the Resource Centre where officers listened to our particular concerns (as expressed to us by residents) and set to work on drafting an action plan to tackle a number of the issues raised. Already officers have confirmed by email that the following items and incidents have been reported to the relevant sections and agencies for their attention:

Hi All,

By way of feedback from todays walkabout at Blackhall.

The following jobs have been entered on to our system;

* Sixth street – Dog waste in rear yard.

* Seventh Street – Waste in rear yard

* Seventh Street – Armchair fly tipped in front street outside address.

* Ninth Street – Waste in rear yard and graffiti on the wall of outhouse.

* Tenth Street – Dog waste in rear yard

East Street/Chickens Green – Litter pick requested along the entire length of the hedge/fence line which parallels the train tracks

 

Incidents of graffiti at First Street and Bluebell Close have also been reported for removal:

Graffiti job logged for * First Street, Blackhall (verbal consent given)

* Bluebell Close - EDH will raise a job with DCC for removal as per their agreement

 

Graffiti at First Street/Rear-Middle Street

Officers will monitor those initiatives from today's meetings and we'll continue to report on progress.

Pavement resurfacing works in Hesleden & High Hesleden

Following our reports to the council of uneven and damaged pavement surfaces in Hesleden and High Hesleden we have now received confirmation of the following works in the villages (some scheduled and some already completed):

Scheme Type	Road No	Location	Contractor	Status
Footway Surface Treatment	Unc	Front Street, Hesleden	Kiely Bros.	Committed
Footways	Unc	Dene View, High Hesleden	Highway Services	Construction
Footways	Unc 28.16	Church St, Hesleden	Highway Services	Complete

Barry Chambers: Statement from Blackhall Labour Party

It is with great sadness that the secretary and members of Blackhall Labour Party announce the death of their chairman Barry Chambers.

Barry Chambers (L) with the Blackhall NUM banner at Durham Big Meeting in July 2016

Barry passed away peacefully in hospital yesterday, Friday 5 January 2018, with his loving family at his side.

Barry spent his entire working life as a member of the Durham NUM and the Durham Miners' Association and served as a member of the Durham NUM Executive on a number of occassions. Equally he was a lifelong member of the Labour Party and spent the last 20 years of his life as a committed chairman of the Blackhall branch.

His campaigns and local achievements are far too many to mention in the space allowed here but tales of his relentless and committed style of campaigning will no doubt be the subject of many a conversation throughout the village and beyond over the coming days and weeks. But perhaps his crowning achievement was as a member of the NUM at a local level in helping many men and their families in Blackhall and Hesleden secure many thousands of pounds in well-deserved compensation for their injuries and disabilities sustained underground at Blackhall Colliery.

Barry also fought tirelessly for many years as a founder member of the Save Our Hospitals (SOH) group to return and retain services at Hartlepool Hospital. Seldom was a public meeting held in Hartlepool or the rest of the NHS Trust area where Barry was not on his feet cajoling members of the Trust board to either do the right thing and return services to Hartlepool, or else stand aside and make way for someone who will!

First and foremost Barry was a loving and caring family man but to the rest of us he was a friend, a comrade and a relentless campaigner for community causes. He was a staunch and trusted ally, someone to turn to in times of adversity or in an hour of need. And he was always there, willing to listen and prepared to help in any way he could.

His passing leaves a void in the political and social life of our community but his legacy will be seen in and around our villages and beyond for years to come.

He will be sorely missed by those who knew him and by those who shared his belief that fairness, equality and respect in society are essential and within our reach if we stand together against hate and division.

Reporting crime and anti-social behaviour

Just before Christmas residents complained about a perceived increase in the number of incidents of anti-social behaviour in Blackhall Colliery.

In response to concerns expressed to the council please note below the comments received in return from the council's Head of Direct Services:

Ian has forwarded your recent e-mail to Sarah and myself for comment and action. Clearly the description you give is a concern, although the relatively few multi-agency records of incidents we hold would indicate that it is probably under-reported.

As you will be aware the violence and criminal damage are matters for the Police. I have however asked wardens to undertake some assurance patrols. We assume it’s the Blackhall numbered streets, but will be guided by you on any particular areas.

If you do want to raise any issues  then please do contact Gary McArdle Warden Team Leader for the area (Mobile 07786274690 ) or the duty team leader number (Mobile 07957184461)

We will also be asking wardens to take stock of the area – untidy yards, bins left out etc. Into the New Year we will feed this into other intelligence from the different agencies relating to asb, crime, secondary fires etc though the multi agency problem solving process. Through this method we will be able to consider and prepare a time limited plan. Housing play into this. Once we are aware of any incidents caused by a tenant of a private rented property, within the curtilage of the property or to the direct neighbours, our housing staff would work closely with the police to resolve. We would work with the landlords and help them to address the issues, bringing in other agencies where necessary.

In essence therefore we will be carrying out patrols – we would encourage public reporting through the Police 101 or 999 as appropriate, although our wardens can respond to any of your own queries. Into the early New Year we will be taking stock of all recorded incidents and your community intelligence would be welcome as part of this. It might be that we have a walk around too, from which we would formulate a plan.

Missed bin collections in Blackhall Colliery

Unfortunately despite assurances that refuse and recycling bins missed during the last round because of inclement weather last Saturday would be collected today there are still some areas where bins have not yet been collected.

Having contacted the council again this evening this is the latest information on revised bin collections:

Hi Rob,

We did aim to get the collections complete today. Crews are contending with large volumes of waste on both the normal rounds and the areas to catch up. The heavy winds of course don’t help with spreading the rubbish far and wide. It has been all hands on deck. Managers have been out driving vehicles.

In most areas we will be caught up tomorrow, for example we expect this by 10am across the South. I have just put out a note through Member support that we expect to be fully complete by Friday. 

I am copying in colleagues from clean and green to alert them to the wind blown rubbish which we will also seek to address.

Refuse collection update

Reports were received on Saturday morning that some bins were not collected as arranged, particularly at the Scheme Houses in Blackhall Colliery.

The council has now confirmed that all bins that were missed on Saturday will be collected tomorrow, Wednesday 3 January 2018 as detailed in the email below:

If your bin was not collected on Friday, 29 December or Saturday, 30 December due to adverse weather conditions, please leave your bin out for collection by 7am tomorrow (Wednesday, 3 January). Our crews are working extra rounds to collect bins. Please bag extra rubbish that does not fit in your bin and leave it next to your rubbish bin – we will collect this additional waste. Extra recycling should be in clear bags and left next to your recycling bin.