Environmental Issues, Blackhall Colliery

Following a walk around the streets in Blackhall Colliery earlier this morning I’ve reported the following issues to the council for their attention. I’ve included the CRM Reference number in brackets. 

Please forward any additional concerns or issues to me direct at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Debris outside the shops on Middle Street: this matter was reported at the weekend following Friday night’s storms but the area has been only partly cleared (FS 3820 62426):

Littering behind Middle Street, at the top of First, Second and Third Streets: this includes bins left out in the street at a number of locations (FS 3820 62902):

Slippery footpath on the B1281: fallen leaves are causing an obstruction and creating a dangerous surface when wet. This relates to the stretch of footpath along the B1281 from Orchid Court, down towards the A1086 junction at St Joseph’s church (FS 3820 63516):

Contact and Ward Surgery details

Although I monitor my social media pages as often as I can I don’t always have ready access so if you need to contact me about any local issues please email me at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk and I’ll deal with your query as soon as I pick it up.

Please note that I never use Facebook Messenger.

If you prefer to report an issue yourself please either contact the council by telephone 03000 261000 or use their online facility at: https://doitonline.durham.gov.uk/

Our monthly ward surgery details are show here. Please note that surgeries may be subject to change depending on pandemic conditions and social restrictions.

Closed churchyard and cemetery inspections

I've been notified by the council's bereavement services coordinator that the council is scheduled to carry out an inspection of headstones and memorials within the closed churchyards and cemeteries in parts of the Blackhall county division. 

Please note that this relates to 'closed' churchyards only and not operational ones currently in use for burials - and specifically includes the churchyards at the former St James' at Castle Eden and the former St Mary's at Monk Hesleden which was demolished in the 1960’s.

I've reproduced the notification in full below, along with a link for additional information on closed churchyard and cemetery inspections:

Good Afternoon Cllrs,

Please note, as per the current national Health & Safety regulations, it is Durham County Council’s intention, to carry out an Inspection of all Headstones and Memorials, within the closed Churchyard or Local Cemetery within your area, or particular Cemetery, as soon as possible after 14 days of this notification.

It may be also become necessary; to carry out remedial work where appropriate on the memorials, where there is no family member available to carry out such works.

We appreciate the need, for you to be aware of this necessary action, in order to alert the local people, or answer their legitimate and understandable enquires, as they become aware of what is happening in their local Cemetery / Churchyard.

Please click on the link below for further information

http://www.durham.gov.uk/headstonetesting

Telecom cables and telegraph poles

I was contacted earlier this week by residents in the West Street/Hesleden Road area of Blackhall Colliery concerned that a broadband company was considering the use of poles to install cables - rather than connecting them underground.

There have been similar concerns in other parts of the country, and also in several parts of County Durham recently so I contacted the council to ask what - if anything - could be done to encourage this company to underground their cables rather than ruin the street scene with additional and unwanted poles.

I received the following response, which confirms that the use of poles by telecoms companies is considered ‘permitted development’ meaning they can erect poles pretty much where they choose without having to seek planning consent from the local authority:

A number of poles have and are to be installed in and around Durham by Netomnia who are delivering ultra-fast broadband to the area, the poles will inevitably have cables spanning from them.

Poles are defined as electronic communication apparatus and as such can be installed, kept and maintained on publicly maintainable highway by a person to whom the Telecom Powers is applied, in this particular case this would be Netomnia.

The installation of poles are constituted as permitted development under Schedule 2 Part 16 Class A of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended), and under Schedule 3a of the Communications Act 2003, therefore no planning permission or prior approval from the local planning authority is required prior to their installation.

With poles deemed as permitted development DCC as the highway authority can therefore only facilitate their installation, however DCC are reviewing their locations to ensure that they aren’t blocking visibility at junctions, restricting access to properties, etc.  Unfortunately DCC cannot stop a pole from been placed outside of a residents property.

Netomnia are recommended to place a site notice in as close proximity as possible to the proposed apparatus indicating to the nearby residents the intention to install a pole, and the proposed location.  No formal consultation or prior notification would be delivered to individual residents.

There have been meetings between Netomnia and residents in other areas and their business decision was made where if the network were already overhead, they would go overhead, where it was underground they would go underground.  In areas that they had planned to connect the homes by overhead poles, and the area did not already have poles, they had placed the build on hold until they were able to return with an alternative build method. However, where there were already poles, they would use the existing poles and erect more if it was required to connect the premises in the area.

DCC can only suggest if there are any issues that residents contact Netomnia directly concerning the pole positioning, https://www.netomnia.com/ or email: buildqueries@netomnia.com

I will contact the company with a request that they halt their plans to erect poles at this location and consider concealing their cables underground instead. I’ll update on progress in due course.

Remembrance Sunday at Blackhall Welfare Park

There was a strong turnout yesterday for the Remembrance Sunday commemoration service held at Blackhall Welfare Park.

The service, organised by Monk Hesleden Parish Council and officiated by council chairman Gaynor Crute and local minster Peter Laidler, drew another fantastic attendance from a community committed to paying their respects to those from Blackhall who fought, and those who gave their lives during two world wars, and also to the civilians who lost their lives during the 1939-45 conflict.

As ever, the 1932 Blackhall Squadron RAFAC was on parade - and as usual they did themselves proud and proved themselves a credit to our village and the service they represent.

The post-service buffet reception at Blackhall Cricket Club, funded by both local county councillors and offering the chance to meet up with old friends, visitors and representatives from the Royal British Legion, was also well attended.

My thanks go to the clerk, members and staff of the parish council for organising the event, the staff and committee of Blackhall Cricket Club, the cadets from the 1932 Blackhall Squadron RAFAC, Peter Laidler, Ian Harrison for the Last Post and Reveille, representatives from the RBL, staff and pupils from Wellfield School and both of our local primary schools and of course the Blackhall community who came together to honour those who fought and died in our defence.

B1281 Speed Visor at Castle Eden

For some time we’ve been working alongside the clerk and members of Castle Eden Parish Council to have a speed visor installed on the B1281 between Hesleden and Castle Eden (please see post dated Wednesday 5 May 2021 for background details). 

This followed a series of complaints and concerns expressed by motorists and residents alike about the high incidence of reported speeding vehicles on the B1281, especially near the Z-bend at Hallow Hill.

Earlier this year the speed visor was installed at a location agreed by residents, the police traffic management office and members of the parish council. For some reason however, the visor was never properly connected to the electricity supply, so following many weeks of phone calls and emails between the responsible authorities, I'm pleased to report that I’ve finally received confirmation that the connection is scheduled to be completed within the next few days and weeks - depending on the availability of engineers from Northern Power Grid.

Please see confirmation details below, received last week from the highways office:

Just a quick note to confirm that street lighting colleagues have programmed to completion the duct and cabling for the sign next week.

Unfortunately, as this is a new connection, we are governed by NPG carrying out the connection and currently they have advised the delay could be up to 35 days however we will endeavour to push for an early resolution.

I'll continue to monitor progress and I'll update on developments as soon as I have more information from NPG.

In addition we’ve received a number of messages from residents reporting speeding vehicles on the stretch of road between the A19 Wellfield Interchange and the A181/B1281 junction at the Castle Eden memorial.

We’ve passed these concerns to Durham police and the traffic assets management team for their attention. I’ll report back on developments as soon as I have a complete response from both services, but in the meantime please continue to report any incidents of speeding to the police for their attention.

Details of this year's Remembrance Sunday Commemoration Services

Remembrance Sunday commemoration services will be held throughout the county on Sunday 14 November when we will honour the sacrifice made by many in defence of our country during two world wars and other conflicts over the years.

I will be laying a wreath at the memorial garden in Blackhall Colliery Welfare Park on behalf of the members of Durham County Council, and with the kind assistance of the clerk and admin staff of Monk Hesleden Parish Council Stacey and I have also arranged for a buffet to be made available at Blackhall Cricket Club immediately after the ceremony. Everyone will be made welcome, so please feel free to call into the club immediately after the service. 

My county council colleague Stacey Deinali has made similar arrangements for the Remembrance Sunday service to be held at the memorial in Hesleden, with a reception afterwards at Hesleden Workingmen's Club.

Footpath repairs at The Elms, High Hesleden

A couple of weeks ago I asked the county council’s highways department to re-inspect a section of footpath between the entrance to The Elms and the Black Path in High Hesleden. 

This latest request followed several others submitted over the past two years or so and came after the footpath surface had clearly deteriorated since it was last reported earlier this year (please see my article dated Tuesday 20 October 2020: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2020/10/footpath-work-programme-updates.html for background details).

I am pleased to report that whilst the service considers there are no particular safety issues associated with the footpath they have now accepted that the surface has deteriorated sufficiently for it to be included it in the forthcoming planned maintenance programme for repair work. Please note their comments below in full:

Thank you for your recent report about road or footpath at high hesleden, hartlepool, ts27 4qq, reference number FS-Case-372691017.

An investigation has been carried out and whilst the defect is not considered to be hazardous, dangerous or essential maintenance at the current time, it is acknowledged that maintenance is required and an order has been placed to undertake work as part of a programmed maintenance scheme.

The works programme is determined on a priority basis, although we would expect the work to be completed within the next financial year.

We will continue to monitor the condition of the Road or footpath as part of our regular inspections and should the condition deteriorate we will, of course, undertake any work that is deemed necessary. 

Footpaths, fences and trees at Castle Eden

I was contacted recently by residents concerned about the poor condition of the footpaths along the B1281 between Hesleden and Castle Eden. They also reported obstructions caused by overgrown trees and hedges encroaching onto the public paths and roads.

I raised residents' concerns with highways officers at county hall and I have now received confirmation that the vegetation is to be cut back, with the owners of adjacent land to be contacted with a request that they maintain the trees and hedges on their land where they are causing an obstruction to pedestrians. It has also been confirmed that any necessary fence repairs will be carried out soon.

Although an additional inspection revealed no immediately actionable defects the footpaths at this location will be added to the works programme and repairs will be carried out in line with the council's policy on footpath and highways. It was noted however, that all actionable safety defects had already been carried out earlier this year following a footpath inspection held on 24 March.

Good afternoon Cllr Crute,

I can confirm the Highway Inspector has arranged with the Councils Clean and Green Department to cut back the overgrown highway vegetation.

We will write to those landowners whose vegetation is encroaching onto the footpath asking them to trim it back and maintain in the future.

The fence will be repaired as necessary.

I'll monitor progress with these matters and report back on progress in due course.