Local Government Boundary Review - Final Recommendations

Around this time last year I published an article about the Local Government Boundary Commission’s review into local government electoral arrangements in County Durham. You can find background details here: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/11/review-of-local-government-boundaries.html

Following an earlier round of public consultation it had been agreed that the number of councillors on Durham County Council would reduce from the current 126 to 98. The next stage of the review was then to recommend the shape and size of each local ward or division.

That element of the review has now concluded and the Boundary Commission has published its final recommendations which will be put in place in time for the next local government elections scheduled to take place in May 2025. However, the Boundary Commission's proposals must first be endorsed by Parliament [in the form of a Local Government Boundary Committee draft order] before they can take full effect.

Full details of the final recommendations, and what they'll mean for you can be found in the Boundary Commission’s document published this morning:
final_recommendations_long_report.pdf (lgbce.org.uk)

Christmas Tree lighting events in Blackhall and Hesleden

There are now less than four weeks to go until Christmas and it's that time of year again when Monk Hesleden Parish Council lights up our Christmas trees at Blackhall and Hesleden.

The Blackhall tree lighting ceremony will take place next Monday 4 December at 4pm: 

and the Hesleden event will take place the evening after on Tuesday 5 December at 4pm:

Although 4pm might not be the most suitable time for all our residents the Christmas tree lighting events in the parish have traditionally been held in the early evening for the convenience of the staff and children of our local schools - and they of course are an essential part of both events.

Everyone will be made welcome so if you can please come along and join in.

Hesleden Pit Heap: Planning officers respond to resident’s queries

The council's planning office has now responded to comments raised recently by residents in relation to the planning status of the former pit heap site in Hesleden. I've published the response below.

The resident’s questions are in black, with the planner’s response in red:

Thank you for your recent emails.  I appreciate that residents are frustrated but the Council is still awaiting information from the Planning Inspectorate about the start of the appeal process.  It is the Planning Inspectorate who is responsible for managing and determining the appeal, not the Council.

Further to previous discussions we will inform you and those who made representations on planning application no. DM/22/00010/MIN of details of the appeal when we receive further information.

Queries in your email sent on 9 November 2023

The question you have not answered  was stated and attachments added. We asked how they were able to continue take limestone when this refers to planning that was for combustible material , it says no more limestone as  page 3 states . We have asked on numerous occasions, also asked steven to ask you and give a complete answer , not just this was the decision . This is important for the appeal meeting .  The extract included in your email is from the officer delegated report for DM/19/02315/VOCMW and reflects the position at that time.  Additional limestone was later extracted and permission to continue to extract limestone was included in planning application no.DM/22/00010/MIN.

As you know it was stated at the planning committee when the planning was rejected that no limestone would have been needed to be taken out to get to the combustible material. The planning application which was submitted to the Council included the extraction of limestone and that was the proposal the Council considered.

Can we not contact the planning inspectorates to find out when the meeting will be?The Planning Inspectorate can be contacted by email at feedback@planninginspectorate.gov.uk or by telephone on 0303 444 5000.

It seems everything is for the quarry helping them to  take more limestone that is for the restoration even though Robert Surtees has put the company BRS in to voluntary liquidation, and set up another company in his sole name.  This is your opinion and you can make representations to the Planning Inspectorate in due course.

Queries in your email sent on 10 November 2023

Residents are loosing patients with Durham County Council

The appeal procedure meeting needs to be arranged so the residents can put their case and hopefully stop any more executions of limestone that is detrimental to their Heath and well being. As stated above it is the Planning Inspectorate who is responsible for managing and determining the appeal, not the Council.

Also Claire Teasdale to answer the questions and not just skirt around them. Looking at the documents Deed of variation for B&S Recycling Ltd. Who made this decision ?  This was delegated decision by Council officers.

On what grounds was it made ?  At the time of the variation of conditions application DM/19/02315/VOCMW the applicant proposed to update the existing legal agreement with the voluntary contribution to the community fund rising from the previous 10p per tonne of combustible material extracted to 15p per tonne.  The officer report recommended approval subject to completion of the Deed of Variation.   The original legal agreement remains in place but with the contribution clause replaced by the Deed of Variation.

Why are they able to continue this document is with B&S who are now in voluntary liquidation The legal agreement does not control the working of the site. Furthermore the legal agreement is tied to the land and is applicable to successors in title, not just B&S.

I hope this is helpful.

Measures recommended to address safety concerns on the B1281 roundabout

I contacted officers in the council's highways team recently to raise concerns on behalf of residents about dangerous driving practices at the roundabout installed adjacent to the ongoing housing development on the B1281 in Blackhall Colliery.

The main concern expressed by residents and drivers relates to some drivers attempting to negotiate the roundabout on the wrong side of the road when coming up the B1281 from Blackhall towards Hesleden and Castle Eden. Background details can be found here and in additional links on this site: https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/07/site-visit-to-prevent-accidents-on-b.html

I have now received a response from the highways office and I've published their comments below in full. Time will tell whether the recommended measures will have the desired effect in reducing the amount of drivers who try to take the roundabout on the wrong side of the road, but if you have any further concerns please contact the council on: help@durham.gov.uk and copy me in to your email for information.

 

I refer to your recent enquiry below to which I have been asked to respond.

We have previously communicated on the design of the roundabout, etc., through my Head of Service, and it is not my intention to repeat this unless specifically required.

A Stage 3 Road Safety Audit (RSA) has been undertaken, following substantial completion of the roundabout, and found no issues with the geometric design and construction of the roundabout itself.

Of the problems reported in the Audit, three items were actionable and are currently being pursued directly with the developer who has expressed a desire to expedite solutions, these are:

• Provision of coloured, antiskid surfacing to the central island overrun area – agreed RSA action.
• Investigation into the size of the advanced signage installed for the roundabout and its suitability, given the speed limit – agreed RSA action.
• A review of the street lighting to remove the risk of the ‘see through’ effect – agreed RSA action.

The first two bullet points are for the developer to address directly, however, the third point was possibly the most significant and may be the cause of motorists using incorrect lanes to negotiate the roundabout, although I note that the roundabout has been operational for many months now and local traffic should be aware of its presence.

Officers from our street lighting teams in the Highway Services group have designed a reconfiguration of the original lighting layout which will eliminate this ‘see through’ effect and make the roundabout more prominent, especially to first-time users, however, given the above, if incorrect usage remains this is more likely to be a case of driver behaviour and, other than enforcement measures by the police, there is little that we, or the developer, can do in mitigation.

This redesign has been passed to the developer and it is now a matter for them to programme their works and return to site to address all of the above matters.

As noted above, they are eager to address matters, and I would hope that they will complete these as a matter of priority, however, due to timescales in organising plant, labour, and materials, I would expect this now to be early in the new year.

I would reassure you that the matter is not being ignored and we are working actively with the developer to resolve the issues in relation to the roundabout.

With regard to some of your other comments, I have received no reports, through either the RSA or site inspections, regarding white lining issues associated with the roundabout, although these would be addressed as part of the development process regardless, but this is restricted to the immediate development area.

Issues with apparent speeding were included in earlier correspondence, including the concept of the introduction of the roundabout and why any reduction in speed limit would not align with Council policy, and supported by Durham Constabulary.

While this is outside of my remit, I have looked at the most recent speed survey and road traffic collision data in the area.

The former suggests an average speed of 43.5mph, with an 85^th percentile speed of 51mph, both below the prescribed limit and there are no reported collisions, etc. within 300m of the roundabout; those that are recorded predate the construction of the roundabout and many even the planning application/permission.

The last two paragraphs are simply my observations on the data I have to hand and, while I will acknowledge it is not my area of expertise, I do not believe that either the housing development, or the construction of the roundabout to serve it, have created any problems that were not either perceived, perhaps, or pre-existing and the development is being used to reiterate those concerns.

Kind regards

On a related matter I've contacted the council to raise my concerns about the streams of excess water flowing from the fields onto the B1281 at this location. Although water flow should be controlled in any case, my main concern in this instance is about the danger of pooled water freezing over during the coming winter months.

I'll update on this issue as soon as I have a response from the council. 

The Blackhall community comes together for this year's Service of Remembrance

The Blackhall community came together as one again yesterday for the Remembrance Sunday commemoration service held around the memorial in Blackhall Colliery Welfare Park.

The service, organised by Monk Hesleden Parish Council and officiated by council chairman Gaynor Crute and local minister John Kidd, drew another fantastic attendance from a community committed to paying their respects to those from Blackhall who fought, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice, in conflicts over the years.

The buffet reception held in Blackhall Cricket Club straight after the service, funded by me and Stacey as the local county councillors, gave the opportunity for members of the public to meet up again with family members, old friends and visitors to our village.

Wreaths were laid at the memorial on behalf of the Royal British Legion, Monk Hesleden Parish Council, Durham County Council, Blackhall Colliery primary school, St Joseph's RC primary school, Wellfield school, Blackhall Labour Party, Eights & Aces motorcycle club, the Women's Institute, St Andrew's church and a number of other local and regional organisations. There was also an opportunity for individuals to make their representations on behalf of lost love ones and family members.

As always our thanks go to the clerk, members and staff of the parish council for organising the event, the staff and committee of Blackhall Cricket Club who made everyone welcome, Ian Harrison for performing the Last Post and Reveille, representatives from the Royal British Legion, staff and pupils from Wellfield School and our local primary schools and of course the Blackhall community who came together to honour those who fought and died in the defence of our country and community against tyranny and oppression.

Issues from the Blackhall PACT meeting for November 2023

The Blackhall PACT meeting for November took place last night in the Parish Office on Middle Street. 

Despite a slightly reduced turn out compared to recent months there were a number of local issues reported. Most of them related to environmental issues associated with back yards and the generally untidy condition of some of the private sector properties in the numbered streets, most notably in Second and Tenth Streets. Progress on some of these issues is covered in the post towards the end of this article.

There was a recap at the meeting of some of the measures taken to clear-up after the bonfire event was held on East Street on Sunday night - including the removal of a vehicle from the embers the day afterwards! An update on my request for replacement fencing along the bottom of First Street and Aspatria Avenue is reported in the link below.

There were also queries raised about farm waste abandoned beside the road leading from the Navy Club bridge down towards Deneholme. This had been reported at a previous PACT meeting and police enquiries since then have shown that the land in question is privately owned and the waste dumped there is apparently by private arrangement. This matter cannot therefore be addressed by the police or public authorities at this stage.

In response to a report that the dog/waste bin at the corner of Ninth Street and the alley behind Blackhall Colliery primary school has gone missing I've raised a request this morning for a replacement bin to be installed as soon as possible.

A request for repairs to the road behind Glenholme Terrace had also been raised with the highways section earlier this week, but in response I've been told that the road is in private ownership and as such repairs and maintenance responsibilities fall to the landowner.

A number of issues that were already being dealt with were covered last night too. These include water damaged public footpaths at Crimdon and along the B1281 between Blackhall Colliery and Hesleden. Full details can be found in this link:

https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/11/highways-housing-and-footpath-repair.html

By tradition there is no PACT meeting for December so the next meeting will be held in January 2024. 

Heritage Coast Partnership - English Coastal Path

I was contacted recently by officers from the Heritage Coast Partnership who are seeking the views of visitors, residents, businesses and landowners on a plan to manage the English Coastal Path as it passes northwards along the East Durham Coast from Crimdon.

I think it would benefit the communities of East Durham in so many ways if the coastal path could be reinstated, so if you are interested in supporting this initiative, or would simply like more information about it, please take a few moments to let the Partnership know what you think by using the links below:

Working with the Lake District Foundation, we are hosting a pilot project funded by Natural England to explore future management of the Tyne to Tees section of the England Coast Path, and the Wainwright Coast to Coast. 

The end results will inform Natural England and Defra policy to maximise local engagement for the benefit of local businesses and communities and inform future management by those who know the surrounding area best.

We are really keen to gain the opinions of community groups and residents, business owners and land managers and farmers who live and work locally on our coastline.

To this end, we would really appreciate it if you could take the time to complete the following questionnaire: King Charles III England Coast Path - Communities from Tyne-to-Tees (office.com)

Highways, housing and footpath repair queries

I was contacted over the weekend by residents raising a number of separate issues going on in the village, mainly those relating to highways and footpath repairs but also others around housing conditions and damage caused to fencing on bonfire night.

I’ve raised all reported issues with the relevant sections at the council and I’ll update on progress when I have more information. In the meantime here’s a list of some of the reported incidents:

The road behind Glenholme Terrace is reported to be in a poor state of repair. From previous similar queries I think this stretch of road might be unadopted - meaning it’s in private ownership and is repaired and maintained by the owner rather than the local authority. However, I’ve asked the council to confirm the status of the road and carry out repairs if appropriate. 

**Update, response received on Wednesday 8 November: Thank you for you recent report about Road or footpath at or near to garage to rear of glenholme terrace, blackhall colliery, hartlepool, ts27 4hu, reference number FS-Case-560004518.

We have carried out an investigation and identified that we are unable to take further action regarding your report as it does not fall under our management or ownership.

I received reports on Monday morning about a number of incidents arising from the bonfire on East Street the night before. First amongst residents’ concerns was damage caused to the fencing at the bottom of First Street and Aspatria Avenue. Some reports suggest that the fencing was removed and thrown onto the bonfire, others say it was removed in order to gain access onto the field by an abandoned vehicle. Either way I’ve asked for the fencing to be replaced as soon as possible. 

**Update, response received Wednesday 8 November: replacement/repairs estimated to be carried out before the end of next month.

I’ve been contacted again by a resident in High Hesleden asking for repairs to the badly damaged public footpath on Mickle Hill Road from its junction with The Elms towards the Black Path. Regular readers of these pages will be well aware of the difficulties encountered over the years when trying to get the council to carry out repairs at this location. Nonetheless I’ve asked the highways department to carry out an inspection of the footpath and schedule repairs wherever necessary. Hopefully they’ll inspect and repair the right footpath this time.

I was contacted by a resident concerned about damage to an abandoned private property in Tenth Street. I’ve raised the resident’s concern with the neighbourhood wardens and also the council’s empty properties section and I’ve asked them to trace the landlord/owner with a request that repairs are carried out as soon as possible to make the property safe against trespass and further damage.

**Update, response received Wednesday 8 November: I’m advised that neighbourhood wardens are contacting the landlord/owner to request their property is brought back to an acceptable standard.

Following reports earlier this week that the public footpath leading from Evergreen Park to the bus shelter on the A1086 at Crimdon had been flooded during extreme rainfall over the past few weeks I asked the clean and green team to clear the debris away to enable residents to get access.

**Update, response received Thursday 9 November: I’ve been told that the clean and green team will clear the footpath of debris and excess water by the end of the week.

2023 Remembrance Day Service at Blackhall Welfare Park

The 2023 Remembrance Sunday commemoration service will be held in Blackhall Colliery Welfare Park on Sunday 12 November when we will come together as a community to honour the sacrifice made by many in defence of our country during two world wars and other conflicts over the years.

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

My county council colleague Stacey Deinali has made similar arrangements for the Remembrance Sunday service to be held at the memorial on Myra Avenue in Hesleden. A buffet reception to be held after the ceremony at Hesleden Workingmens’ Club. 

Please note that a stopping-up order has been issued to restrict traffic on Myra Avenue in Hesleden from 10.30am to 11.15am on the day of the service. This is to ensure the safety of residents and other attendees.

Damaged footpath on the B1281 between Blackhall Colliery and Hesleden

The public footpath along the B1281 between Blackhall Colliery and Hesleden has been severely damaged by the amount of excess rainwater flowing into the highway from rain-drenched fields following exceptionally heavy rainfall overnight and again this morning. 

In addition the road is completely flooded just to the west of the Hardwick Hall Hotel leaving it passable, but only with care and in single file.

Both incidents have been reported to the authorities for their attention.

Please take extra care when using this stretch of road, or if possible avoid the area altogether and take an alternative route into and out of Blackhall via Mickle Hill Road.