Update from the July PACT meeting

As usual I attended the latest monthly Blackhall PACT meeting in the Resource Centre on Wednesday evening. The meeting was well attended and good natured, with a lot of positivity despite a range of concerns raised on the night.

It’ll come as no surprise that the main issue on the agenda was the recent increase in reports of antisocial behaviour. This included the usual reports of dog-fouling, littering, fly-tipping, off-road bikes and illegal parking - and these matters have all been passed individually to the appropriate authorities for their attention. 

**There’s more further down the page about how I’m currently working alongside the police, relevant council departments and a range of partner agencies to address local concerns about antisocial behaviour in and around our villages.

But first, following a number of comments about problems associated with some of the private-rented sector housing stock in Blackhall Colliery, and in response to a number of concerns raised about the roll-out of the council’s selective licensing scheme, I voiced my own concerns about the sluggish response of the council in registering private sector landlords onto the scheme. We’re 16 months into the programme now, and only 28% of landlords across the county have been signed up so far. That is wholly unacceptable and it undermines the entire purpose of selective licensing which is to bring much-needed regulation to the private-rented housing sector. I’ve raised residents’ concerns in a number of quarters over the past few months, particularly in the overview and scrutiny committees, who have agreed to take a closer look through their work programmes at how the selective licensing scheme has been rolled-out over its initial period, and also to look at ways of improving the scheme for the benefit of our communities. 

At the launch of the licensing scheme last year members of the public were assured that it would deliver improvements in our communities by regulating the sector and holding private landlords to account for the condition of their properties and the conduct of their tenants - something that residents and attendees at PACT meetings over the years have been asking for. However, the council’s poor performance in developing the scheme has been woefully inadequate. Along with our residents I expected much better, and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure there are improvements made where they’re needed most.

**In response to a recent rise in reported incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour in Blackhall I updated the meeting on developments Stacey and I are working on, alongside a number of community agencies, to address residents’ concerns and allay their fears about crime and antisocial behaviour. I’ll update again on progress in due course, but in the meantime there are full background details in this link: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/07/responding-to-community-fears-of-crime.html

As ever, the police advised at the meeting that wherever and whenever there are any specific incidents these should be reported on each and every occasion. They acknowledge the inconvenience for residents’ in having to go through this rigmarole - but they insist that consistent reporting is the key to identifying trends and putting resource where they’re needed most. Police advise that residents should report incidents on 101, and 999 if there’s an emergency.

In addition there were reports at the meeting of high levels of shoplifting in the area. I took the opportunity to report back on a meeting I’d attended (quite by accident as it happens) earlier in the week in the Resource Centre when shopkeepers and business owners met face to face with the police to voice their concerns, and more importantly put something in place to tackle the problem of theft in their shops.

By way of a brief update on early developments, the meeting between shopkeepers and the police was held on Tuesday morning after one of the shopkeepers had taken the initiative to raise their concerns with the police. In response the police had arranged to meet with those shopkeepers who had expressed an interest. At the meeting police listened carefully to what the shopkeepers and owners had to say about persistent incidents of theft, and how they feared for their safety and that of their staff. To cut a long story short, the people present at the meeting have agreed to establish a Shop Watch scheme which will meet regularly to collate information and monitor progress on any schemes intended to reduce shoplifting incidents and associated crime. The parish clerk has kindly agreed to offer venue and administrative support to get the scheme off the ground.

Finally, following additional reports of dangers posed by vehicles parking outside the shops on Middle Street I spoke to a few residents after the meeting about a scheme we’ve revived which is designed to prevent illegal parking on Middle Street and at the same time ensure the safety of shoppers when using the public footpaths at this location. Initial plans are published elsewhere on this site, with more details to follow in due course.

Proposed parking safety measures on Middle Street back on track

Earlier this week Stacey and I met on site with an officer from the council's regeneration department to revive a recently-stalled safety scheme designed to prevent illegal parking outside the shops on Middle Street, and also to ensure the safety of pedestrians and other users of the public footpath in that area.

By way of background, some time ago the coalition in control of Durham County Council decided to delay the council's Towns & Villages scheme - something beyond our control as local members, and something we resisted strongly. However, we've recently managed to get back on track with the safer parking initiative for Middle Street in Blackhall Colliery. 

Although it began as a scheme to prevent illegal parking outside the shops it soon developed into a project designed specifically to prevent motorists driving onto the public footpath as they park. To be clear there have been several near-misses reported by shoppers and businesses alike, so it goes without saying that where there's a reported problem someone has to find a solution - especially when public safety is compromised.

We've now had a revised parking safety scheme drawn up which will soon be open to consultation with shop owners/businesses, and I’ve shared an image of it in advance.

As with any scheme of this nature general support will be needed to progress it to the next level. However, the bottom line must always be public safety, so this factor must be taken into consideration alongside the comments of shoppers and businesses on Middle Street.

I’ll update on progress following the consultation.

Objections to footpath closure extension in Hesleden

Yesterday Stacey and I were notified of an application seeking to extend the footpath (No24) closure order in Hesleden for a maximum period of 6 months from 29 September 2023. Long-term readers of these pages will recall that the original footpath closure order was issued several years ago as part of the works programme to remove spoil from the former pit heap in Hesleden.

However, over the years the council has received several sequential requests to extend what is meant to be a ‘temporary’ closure order. Obviously if this request is constantly renewed almost as a matter of course there’s a risk that a temporary closure order will eventually become permanent. This gives us real cause for concern, especially when the closure order is linked to the ongoing extraction of materials from the former pit heap nearby. 

This is a development that has dragged on for much longer than residents were initially led to believe, bringing with it unacceptable levels of noise, dust and dirt. To make matters worse it’s been subject to persistent delays in the planning process, thereby prolonging the misery and disruption for residents in and around Hesleden and Castle Eden.

For that reason we have written to the highway network management team this morning to formally lodge our objection to this latest additional extension. I’ve reproduced our comments below in full:

Having carefully considered the implications of the extension requested in the email thread below Cllr Deinali and I wish to formally object to the proposal.

 

We note there have been several similar requests over the years for a 'maximum' period of 6 months, yet the requests are simply resubmitted when the time limit is up. This gives the impression to us, and the residents of Hesleden, that the process is being used as a device to extend the time allowed to remove spoil from the former pit heap in the village.

 

Further, we note that the planning application to extend the timescale mentioned above is expected to be put before the planning committee in September for deliberation and decision. To avoid charges of pre-determination Cllr Deinali as a member of the planning committee is obligated to reserve judgement until the time of the meeting, but for my part I will be opposing in the strongest terms any proposal to continue extraction works on site. 

 

For those reasons I would suggest that the application to extend the temporary footpath closure (beyond September) should be refused until a decision is reached on the planning application mentioned above.

 

Regards, 

Cllr Rob Crute (Blackhall Division)

Deputy Leader of the Labour Group 

Durham County Council

We’ve been assured that our comments have been noted - whether or not they have the intended effect remains to be seen. But one thing’s for certain, the only real opportunity we’ll have to put and end to this development will come when the application is eventually put before the planning committee and as a community we can at last put our case to planning committee members.

Although we’ve been told that September is now the earliest date the hearing can be held, we’ve been down that path a number of times before. However, we’ll update residents as soon as we are notified of a planning committee date.

Latest weekly update

There have been three distinctly separate but significant incidents over the past week or so in and around our villages, and each generated a meaningful response from the authorities.

The first related to a site visit carried out on the B1281 near to the Hardwicke Hall Hotel junction, another arose from complaints I'd received about overgrown footpaths along the coast and the final incident has led to a proactive response from a number of agencies to fears of crime and antisocial behaviour in our communities.

In case you missed them first time around I've brought them together in one article:

Site visit held to improve safety on the B1281 at Blackhall Colliery: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/07/site-visit-to-prevent-accidents-on-b.html

Overgrown public footpaths along the coast to be cut back: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/07/maintenance-works-to-cut-back-overgrown.html

Agencies react to recent reports of crime and antisocial behaviour: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/07/responding-to-community-fears-of-crime.html

I'll update on each individual issue in due course, but in the meantime please get in touch if you have anything you would like me to know about. I'm best contacted at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Partner agencies react to community fears of crime

Last week I was contacted by residents concerned about an increase in incidents of antisocial behaviour and reported crime in and around our villages. In order to deal with their concerns, and others I've picked up in conversations with residents since then, I've been in touch earlier this week with a number of partner agencies, including the safer communities team, the local neighbourhood policing team and officers from the council's housing and regeneration departments, to see what they might be able to do to help allay residents' fears about further incidents of crime and disorder.

The intention is to have in place as soon as practicable a range of safety and security measures that are effective as a deterrent, but also workable and proportionate. Having taken on board the feelings of residents the obvious starting point is with the agencies I’ve contacted who are well-positioned to pull together and coordinate funding streams and other resources. They also have that invaluable experience of working on community-led schemes where crime and the fear of crime is a significant factor. 

In response the safer communities team has confirmed they will be able to access funding for home safety and security measures, including CCTV coverage if necessary. They've also told me they will seek additional funding for similar initiatives. I've published their response below for information:

Is [community concern] more in terms of their own home safety/security?  We can certainly do some safer homes stuff for neighbouring properties.

With regard to the TDP (Targeted Delivery Plan) that sits with the council's regeneration team, not sure what is or can be built into the plan at the moment.

Interestingly though, at our MAPS meeting yesterday it was mentioned that our CCTV/Care Connect team have funding via ASB Trailblazer funds for CCTV. I’m going to have a catch up with [the care connect & CCTV manager] as he will be looking where there is a lack of CCTV,. I'm not sure how much funding they've got, but replacing the Blackhall CCTV is on my list of things to ask for.

We have also been given £10k for East MAPS, to be linked to ASB. Broadly speaking I would say I can definitely look at any CCTV from this pot of money.

I'm currently waiting for more details from the neighbourhood police and other partnership agencies on what they might be able to offer in addressing residents' fears about recent incidents of crime in our villages, and I'll update on progress as soon as I have more information.

In the meantime, if you have any concerns about crime and/or antisocial behaviour in your neighbourhood please let me know at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk and I'll raise the matter with the council, police and other partners to see what they can do to help.

Maintenance works to cut back overgrown coastal footpaths

After I received complaints from members of the public last week I asked the council's Public Rights of Way (PROW) officer to carry out an inspection of the coastal footpaths from Crimdon to Blackhall Colliery. Please go to the article published on Tuesday 4 July for background details: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/07/overgrown-coastal-footpaths.html

I have now received confirmation from the PROW officer that those coastal footpaths maintained by the county council have been inspected and that works requests have been submitted to the maintenance team for overgrowth to be cut back where necessary. These requests have been added to the works programme and will be carried out as soon as possible.

** Following additional queries about the extent of the council's responsibility to maintain certain footpaths in the coastal area I've received the following update from the PROW team: 

'Please note that some of these paths are only permissive routes which hold no formal status, we aren’t obliged to have these sections cut however I know how well used the paths are in the area and I have therefore submitted the permissive routes for a cut so that access is not lost during the Summer months.'

Site visit to prevent accidents on B1281 between Hesleden and Blackhall Colliery

Following a series of accidents near the junctions of the Hardwicke Hall Hotel and Belchford on the B1281 between Hesleden and Blackhall Colliery I asked the traffic assets team from the county council and the traffic management officer from Durham constabulary to meet on site to see what they could suggest to prevent any further accidents.

Please go to this link for details of the most recent incident which took place last month: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/police-response-to-traffic-incident-on.html

Following my request Stacey and I met on site with a local resident and highways and police traffic management officers on Thursday afternoon and came up with a number of measures that should make the location safer and reduce the risk of accidents. 

From the outset we made it clear to officers that the B1281 is a very busy route, used as the main link to and from Blackhall Colliery on the coast to the A19 Interchange at Castle Eden and beyond. As such there have been several accidents over the years, many of which could have been avoided if the appropriate safety measures had been put in place. We also reinforced the point that it's a popular route for walkers who use it frequently as a link between the communities of Blackhall Colliery, Hesleden and Castle Eden. Those pedestrians are also exposed to the dangers of traffic incidents along that stretch of road and are entitled to feel safe when out and about.

We had initially asked if the national speed limit could be reduced to 40 at this stretch of road but the idea was firmly rejected by officers as unrealistic and unenforceable. As an alternative it was suggested that solid double white lines down the centre of the highway would act as a deterrent for vehicles attempting to overtake on the approach road. Coupled with yellow tiger stripes (or rumble strips) and additional warning signage on the highway surface at the entrance points at both sides of the blackspot location it is felt that this would at least have the effect of highlighting the potential dangers ahead, triggering speeding motorists to slow down before they get to either junction.

It was also suggested that street-lighting should be considered at the junctions (similar to the lighting at the junctions to Myra Avenue and Gray Avenue in Hesleden further west along the B1281). Although this wasn’t seen as viable at the moment it was hoped that street-lighting could be installed at this location at some point in the future if the council needs to take any additional safety measures as part of its home to school transport policy.

Finally, following reports that pedestrians have been forced to walk into the road in some parts I’ve reported the badly damaged footpath along this stretch of road for inspection and repair.

**While highways and police officers were in the area they took the opportunity to visit the site of the new roundabout further down the road towards Blackhall Colliery, adjacent to the ongoing housing development on the B1281. I’ve raised several queries over the past year or so on behalf of residents and drivers reporting vehicles driving the wrong way round the roundabout when heading west towards Hesleden. Highways and traffic officers have agreed to consider options to make improvements to the road layout and signage as part of periodic road safety audits linked to the housing development. Background details about the construction of the roundabout can be found in the link here: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/05/update-on-traffic-issues-on-b1281-at.html

I’ll report on progress as soon as I have more information from the authorities.

Overgrown coastal footpaths

I’ve been contacted by a couple of residents over the past few days concerned about the amount of grass and weeds growing into the footpaths along the beach banks between Blackhall Rocks and Blackhall Colliery.

I’ve contacted the council’s public rights of way officer who has told me that the footpaths will be inspected later this week and a referral will be raised to cut back the overgrowth wherever necessary.

If you’re aware of any similar issue in other parts of the Blackhall ward let me know about it please at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk and I’ll raise your concerns with the relevant authorities.

Monthly Update for June 2023

From additional reports of illegal and dangerous access to our public footpaths, to repairs carried out at Crimdon and a report of a recent accident on the B1281 June has been another busy month in and around the communities of the Blackhall ward. 

In case you missed them the first time around I’ve republished in a single article below just a few the issues I’ve been working on over the past few weeks in county hall and in our community:

Friday 2 June: Illegal access to public footpaths: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/illegal-access-to-public-footpaths-and.html

Monday 5 June: Unacceptable delays to highways repair works: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/concerns-over-unacceptable-delays-to.html

Monday 12 June: Damaged fences at Crimdon: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/damaged-fences-at-crimdon.html

Tuesday 13 June: Holding absent private sector landlords to account: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/ongoing-private-sector-housing-issues.html

Thursday 15 June: Repairs to beach access steps at Crimdon: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/repairs-to-steps-at-crimdon-beach.html

Saturday 17 June: Requests for safety measures at Wellfield/Castle Eden: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/following-accident-on-castle.html

Thursday 29 June: Police response to reported accident on B1281: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/06/police-response-to-traffic-incident-on.html

If you have any comments or queries about these or any other issues affecting our patch please get in touch with me at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk