Private Landlords (Registration) Bill

At a PACT meeting held at the Resource Centre in Blackhall Colliery earlier this year we repeated our call for the introduction of a Selective Licensing Scheme to compel landlords in the private rented sector to comply with the same regulations as those covering the social housing sector (please see post dated Friday 23 March 2018 for full background details). 

Our call came in response to a number of local crime and anti-social behaviour issues over previous months, some of which were directly linked to repeatedly disruptive tenants in private sector properties in Blackhall Colliery. It should be noted that local councils at the moment have only limited powers and influence over landlords and properties in the private rented sector. This is a particular problem when there is currently no legal requirement for landlords to sign a national register, making it much more difficult to identify the owner of a property when something goes wrong. The implications for our communities are obvious and well documented elsewhere on this site.

In a related development today the Private Landlords (Registration) Bill will receive its second reading in the Houses of Parliament. Brief details of the Bill are shown below:

New legislation to regulate private landlords would reduce crime and anti-social behaviour

Areas where a lot of people live in private-rented accommodation will be less likely to suffer crime and anti-social behaviour if new legislation to regulate private landlords is approved by Parliament this week.

A Private Member’s Bill tabled by Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, would make it compulsory for all private landlords to sign up to a national register. One key benefit of this would be that the Police, Local Authorities and other service providers would know who to contact when there are issues with environmental damage, anti-social behaviour and crime locally.

Commenting on the draft legislation, Durham’s Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner Ron Hogg said “When Police are carrying out investigations, so much time can be lost trying to identify who owns the property where suspects are living. A mandatory registration scheme for private landlords would make a significant difference to resolving crimes, and I believe it would also act as a deterrent because offenders would know there would be a greater likelihood of them being caught.”

As the Bill is only at the second reading stage there is still some way to go before it has any chance of becoming law but we'll track its progress through the legislative process and update regularly on developments.

Monthly ward surgery details

Each month we hold four ward surgeries to enable residents to meet us to talk about any council related issues they might have. These can include local housing, highways, environmental or anti-social behaviour matters but we're happy to discuss anything relating primarily to county council services.

However, even when residents come to see us about other matters we are usually able to help them in some way, often by pointing them in the right direction or by contacting other agencies on their behalf.

Occasionally we update our ward surgery details and then advertise them locally and on social media so please note below the latest information.

If you are unable to come along to one of our surgeries, or if for some reason you would prefer to meet us under different circumstances, please get in touch with us and wherever possible we'll make arrangements that are best suited to your needs:

lynn.pounder@durham.gov.uk or rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

    

Crimdon Dene Cafe & Public Facilities planning application

Earlier today we were given advance notification of the county council's planning application seeking consent to construct a cafeteria and associated public facilities at Crimdon Dene (please see post dated Monday 19 March 2018 for background information).

A statutory period of public consultation will commence soon so please contact the council's planning office using the link shown below to let them know what you think of the plan.

For full details of the planning proposals please go to the Durham County Council online planning portal at https://publicaccess.durham.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application and enter the planning reference number DM/00182/FPA in the search bar at the bottom of the page.

Wellfield Road closure latest

Please note below the latest information we've received about the ongoing road closure at Wellfield Road between Castle Eden and Wingate:

C135	Wellfield Road, Wingate	Housing development - New HV electric supply	3 way lights	18 April	27 April	Power On Connections
C135	Wellfield Road, Wingate	Housing development - road improvements	Road closure	2 May	4 May	Avant Homes

 

Highway resurfacing for Middle Street and Hardwick Street

Following the recent update on the highways resurfacing schedule for Eighth Street in Blackhall Colliery (please see post dated Tuesday 3 April 2018 for details) we asked highways engineers to reassess the condition of the road surfaces at both Hardwick Street and Middle Street. 

We have now had confirmation that resurfacing works will be carried out during the current works programme on the terms shown below:

We assessed both Hardwick Street and Middle Street on Wednesday this week. Based on their current condition we will add both locations to the 18/19 resurfacing programme.

We are proposing to resurface the entire length of Hardwick Street and the worst section, in terms of condition, of Middle Street. From an initial inspection this appeared to be from the junction of Eighth Street then travelling south.

Temporary Road Closure - Eleventh Street

On Friday last week a burst water main forced the immediate closure of the road directly outside the entrance to the Welfare Park, at the junction of Eleventh Street and the A1086 Middle Street, to enable Northumbrian Water to assess the extent of the damage and allow for preparatory works to be carried out.

Further information has now been received from the traffic regulation team at county hall regarding the temporary closure. Full details are reproduced below:

Eleventh Street, Blackhall Colliery

Temporary Road Closure

Owing to a burst water main it has been necessary to temporarily close to vehicular traffic a 35 metre length of Eleventh Street that extends south westerly from A1086 Middle Street to no. 26 Eleventh Street, Blackhall Colliery. 

The closure, 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 repair works to be carried out. 

The alternative route for vehicular traffic is locally via other adjacent streets in the area. 

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

Parking enforcement in Middle Street

Over the past few months we have received an increasing number of complaints about careless and indiscriminate parking in Blackhall Colliery, especially along the main shopping area in Middle Street.

Most of those complaints relate to vehicles blocking the pathway for prams, pushchairs and wheelchairs but there are developing concerns about vehicles mounting the kerb, driving onto the pavement almost colliding with shop fronts and in some cases even pedestrians.

Having asked for a number of options to help prevent any potential accidents in future, and to help keep parking areas available to those who need them most, the parking enforcement team has offered to cover this location on the terms set out below in an email received from parking enforcement officers:

We can advise that we have added Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery to our enforcement request list. Our Civil Enforcement Officers will carry out a period of targeted enforcement of the restrictions in place and issue a Penalty Charge Notice to any vehicles parked in contravention.

Our team are responsible for parking offences where there are restrictions on the public highway such as single/double yellow lines, loading bays, school keep clears etc.

If vehicles are parked causing obstruction offences where there are no restrictions in place, then this should be reported directly to Durham Constabulary using their ‘101’ contact number, unless the vehicle is a Heavy Goods Vehicle and they would be reported to the traffic commissioner on 0800 030 4103.

We hope that some targeted enforcement will alleviate the problems being experienced. 

Wellfield Road temporary closure

Advance notification has been received from the county council about the temporary closure of Wellfield Road on the terms set out below.

C135 Wellfield Road, Wingate

Temporary Road Closure

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  or after Monday 16 April 2018, a 55 metre length of Wellfield Road that extends eastwards from its junction with The Maltings to Railway Cottages at the eastern side of the bridge over the Haswell-Hart Countryside Walk, Wingate.

The closure is necessary to enable kerbing and carriageway resurfacing to be undertaken which will probably take some 3 days within a 4 week works programme to complete to be carried out to that length of road.

(The closure is currently anticipated for 2 – 4 May 2018.)

Throughout the period of closure an alternative route will be available to vehicular traffic from the western side of the closure from Wellfield Road northerly on B1280 Salter’s Lane then via the access road onto A181 eastwards to the turning circle at Castle Eden then westwards to the access to Wellfield Road to the eastern side of the closure, and vice versa.

Yours faithfully

Regeneration and Local Services

Network Management

Road surfacing update

Late last year the council confirmed that the damaged road surface running the length of Eighth Street would be repaired in the new financial year. 

There appears to be some confusion on social media this morning about the scheduled works programme so to clarify the current position the confirmation email received from the highways section in November has been reproduced below.

Please note that because of the unusually cold winter weather this year temporary pothole repairs were carried out in Middle Street with an assurance that works would be carried out once the weather improved and the council was able to begin tackling the highways repairs backlog caused by the freezing weather.

Morning Councillor

Further to my previous email, please find attached a plan showing the extent of surfacing to be undertaken in this area of Blackhall Colliery. As can be seen there are several streets that are going to benefit from the correct resurfacing treatment. The works will be programmed for April 2018 as this treatment must be carried out above a certain temperature. I appreciate this is outside of this financial year but we are getting more work done in the area than previously discussed.

Regards,

Jonathan Cardy

Senior Engineer – Capital Programme