Funding available to communities for National Tree Week

We have received information about how community groups, parish councils, schools and individuals can apply for funding to plant trees in their local areas.

 

Grants of up to £150 are available for community groups, parish councils, schools and individuals to make their area greener.

Applicants have until Friday 16 November to apply for the funding as part of celebrations for National Tree Week, which takes place between Saturday 24 November and Sunday 2 December.

To mark the UK’s largest annual tree festival, Durham County Council is offering grants for tree planting projects across the county in all forms, from planting fruit trees and commemorative areas, to hedgerow trees and small coppices.
 Durham County Council has taken part in National Tree Week since 1979 and over the past three years has planted almost four thousand trees as part of the campaign.

Steve Bhowmick, Durham County Council’s environment and design manager, said, “National Tree Week marks the start of the winter tree planting season and is the perfect time for communities to get their hands dirty and do something positive for their local environment. Trees have many benefits, not just improving areas aesthetically but creating habitats for wildlife, helping to prevent flooding, cleaning our polluted air and much more. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this year’s successful applicants have planned for their areas.”

Grants will be allocated on a first come, first served basis so people are encouraged to apply early. Applications cannot be accepted for planting on land immediately surrounding a residential building and whilst projects on private land such as farmland will be considered, they must be visible from a public right of way or road.

Application forms must arrive no later than Friday 16 November 2018 and can be requested by email from landscape@durham.gov.uk or by telephoning on 03000 267 133.

Arrangements for Remembrance Sunday

Services will be held throughout the country on Sunday 11 November when we take the opportunity to 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 wreaths on behalf of Durham County Council and the people of our communities at the Memorial in Blackhall Colliery Welfare Park and at the War Memorial in Hesleden.

Following the traditional service of remembrance wreaths will be laid in Blackhall Colliery on behalf of:

• Durham County Council
• Monk Hesleden Parish Council
• Ex-Services Associations, including Blackhall Navy Club & Blackhall RAFA
• Blackhall Air Training Corps
• Blackhall Youth Group
• Wellfield School
• St Andrew's Church

There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to mark their private respects.

As in previous years we have provided funding for a buffet to be made available in Blackhall Cricket Club immediately following the service. Everyone is welcome so please come along and join us.

Resurfacing works at Monk Hesleden rescheduled for next month

Earlier this year works scheduled to resurface a section of the unclassified road between Monk Hesleden and High Hesleden were deferred to a later date (please see posts dated Friday 25 May 2018 & Thursday 31 May 2018 for background information).

We have now received notification of a temporary traffic regulation order confirming that the works have been rescheduled to take place over three days next month, beginning on Sunday 4 November 2018. Advisory road signs have been put in place over the past few days.

Please note that these works will affect a 0.5km section of unclassified highway from Monk Hesleden to a point just to the north of the Haswell to Hart walkway.

It is expected that notification letters giving full details of the works will be sent to all residents in affected areas next week. In the meantime we have reproduced below some preliminary details supplied by the assistant highways engineer:

Just a quick email to let you know that the re-surfacing works which were postponed earlier in the year have now been programmed for the 4^th, 5^th, & 6^th November 2018 subject to any adverse weather. Advance notification signs will be going up on site shortly and the timing of the works have been agreed with the farm. Letters will go out to residents approximately 5-7 days before the start of the works. Wherever possible the works will not start until 9am each day to allow residents to leave for work/school etc.

Inspection works at Crimdon Viaduct this weekend

We have received a reminder that the access road to Crimdon Dene Holiday Park will be closed tomorrow to allow Network Rail to carry out bridge inspection works:

Unclassified 29.3

Road leading to Crimdon Dene Holiday Park, Blackhall Colliery

Bridge inspection

Road closure (8.00am - 3.00pm)

14 October

14 October

Network Rail

A Selective Licensing Scheme for County Durham moves a step closer

Earlier this year at a Blackhall PACT meeting we called on housing officers at Durham County Council (DCC) to consider a range of measures, including the introduction of a Selective Licensing Scheme, to help address a number of local issues related to private sector housing in the village (please see posts dated Friday 23 February & Friday 23 March 2018 for additional details).

Next week DCC's Cabinet will consider options in implementing a Selective Licensing Scheme to cover the entire county. Please see further details in the press release published below:

Selective licensing opportunities being exploredTitle

Opportunities for changing the way in which selective licensing is implemented are being explored by councillors next week.

On Wednesday, 17 October Durham County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve proposals to prepare a business case that would seek permission from the government to change the way in which selective licensing operates in County Durham.

The proposals will be for countywide implementation as the council recognises that some landlords operate throughout the county and not just in one designated area.

The number of privately rented properties in County Durham continues to rise and countywide selective licensing would give the council the power to regulate landlords and managing agents with the aim to increase standards and improve the management of privately rented properties.

The scheme would benefit all communities by increasing housing demand and reducing antisocial behaviour in areas where it is problematic, making safer, more desirable places to live. This could mean there would be a reduction in environmental costs and the costs of crime, such as street cleaning and tackling fly tipping.

There have already been three successful selective licensing designations in County Durham, these included Dean Bank in Ferryhill, Chilton West and Wembley in Easington Colliery which is due to end in June 2019.

At the moment the council already works closely with landlords that are registered with the voluntary landlord accreditation scheme and in future a discount could be offered on selective licensing fees to landlords already registered.

For landlords the scheme means that help and support is available to deal with problem tenants, access to a tenant referencing scheme that helps them vet prospective tenants is available, as well as access to an abundance of information and advice that aims to help people become better landlords.

Cllr Kevin Shaw, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for strategic housing and assets, said: “We have some excellent private landlords who we work with very closely but we have a large number of absent and irresponsible landlords who cause significant problems with poorly managed and maintained accommodation. This impacts upon its residents, our communities, and both our and our partner services. 

“The real practical problem we face in seeking to resolve this is we don’t know where all of these properties all are, we don’t know who the landlords are, and we can’t oversee any required and effective improvement without the necessary intelligence. This is why we are proposing a countywide selective licensing scheme.”
Selective licensing is already supported by Ron Hogg the Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner for Durham, as well as by Phil Wilson MP who is currently taking a private members bill through parliament, seeking mandatory registration of landlords within the privately rented sector.

Ron Hogg, said: “Not knowing who owns a property can be a real barrier to police as they try to identify offenders. This proposal would make identification much easier, so it has the potential to make a significant inroad to levels of crime and anti-social behaviour across County Durham. I welcome it wholeheartedly.”

If approved a business case will be developed and reported to Cabinet in a future meeting prior to submission to government which have the final say on any countywide scheme.  

If you are a landlord and are interested in signing up for the voluntary private landlord accreditation scheme, visit http://www.durham.gov.uk/privatelandlords for more information.

Hardwick Street highway resurfacing works to go ahead later this month

Last month we reported that resurfacing works scheduled to take place in Hardwick Street, Blackhall Colliery had been postponed (please see posts dated Tuesday 28 August and Tuesday 4 September 2018 for background details).

We have now received confirmation that works have been rescheduled to take place over a five week period beginning Monday 22 October. Advisory letters will be distributed to residents in affected properties either later this week or early next.

We have also asked for clarification on the timing and extent of the works, and for additional information about refuse collections and on street parking for residents during this period.

We have received the following comments from the highways engineer in response:

Regarding the above, the works are currently programmed to start on site on 22^nd October, the construction manager will be delivering notification letters and displaying the road closure notices on site either later this week or early next week, the work should be carried out in short sections to reduce the disruption to residents and to keep the closed section of road as short as possible at any one time.

Previously on schemes such as this the site operatives have assisted residents with refuse collection etc. and I’m sure this will be the case on this job, mail delivery should not be affected as the post man should still be able to access the street on foot and any delivery drivers should still be able to get relatively close to properties depending upon the location of the closure, as there will only be short sections of the road closed residents should still be

able to park within the street, as is the case wherever we work we will try to keep disruption to a minimum for the residents.

Temporary Road Closure, Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery

Last week we published details of road works scheduled to take place on two consecutive Saturdays this month to resurface Middle Street in Blackhall Colliery (please see post dated Friday 28 September 2018 for details).

We have now received details of traffic diversions which will be in place during both phases of works:

The diversion which will be in place will divert all traffic as below:

A1086 Middle Street, Blackhall Colliery 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, except for access for emergency service vehicles, between 7am and 7pm on the weekends of 6^th-7^th October 2018 and 13^th-14^th October 2018 a 360 metre length of Middle Street in two phases, from Blackhall Rafa Club and junction of First Street to The Hardwick Hotel (phase 1 – 170 metres), and from The Hardwick Hotel to the junction with Eighth Street (phase 2 – 190 metres).

The closure is necessary to enable carriageway resurfacing works to be undertaken.

Throughout the period of closure, an alternative route will be available to vehicular traffic from the northern point of the closure on A1086 Coast Road, then in a general westerly direction on B1320 Yoden Way, continuing onto Burnhope Way, then south on A19, then east on B1281, then north west on A1086 Coast Road to southern point of closure, and vice versa.

Locals will obviously know ways around the closure to get from one end of the village to the other.

The first phase will see the road closed between the Co-op and the Hardwick PH, the second phase will see the road closed between the Hardwick PH and the Primary School.