Last night was another busy one as I met with local residents, the police and neighbourhood wardens at a couple of monthly meetings held to discuss a range of issues going on in our villages.
As usual I attended the monthly meeting of the parish council's environment committee where I report on any local environmental issues raised with me as the county councillor, and then discuss with parish councillors and the parish clerk the best way to address any local concerns.
Following the parish environment committee I attended the monthly Blackhall PACT meeting where residents come along to report any local issues to the police and neighbourhood wardens. I always attend PACT meetings in my capacity as the local county councillor, just in case there are any matters raised that might need my help. It also cuts down on duplication of work where sometimes similar issues are reported to me and the police separately. I've highlighted below some of the issues raised last night.
1. Safer Parking in Blackhall Colliery:
An update was given on the latest phase in a series of schemes to install double-yellow lines in locations where residents have reported concerns about problem parking. The police have confirmed that they'll do what they can to address any issues raised by residents about the application of the scheme, including an additional request for the parking enforcement team to increase patrols in the village. Background details can be found in this link: Safer Parking in Blackhall Colliery
2. Land clearance at Coronation Avenue:
I gave an update on a report from residents last week that land behind the Esso service station was being cleared in preparation for a housing scheme. After I'd raised concerns with the planning office on behalf of residents the county council confirmed that the scheme appears to have no planning permission. Background details can be found here: Clearance works on land behind the Esso service station in Blackhall
3. Public footpath query:
I received a report of a defective public footpath on East Street where it is reported that a resident tripped recently. I have reported this to the council's highways section with a request that the path is made safe again.
4. Proposed solar farm at Benridge, Fillpoke Lane:
An update was given on plans to construct a solar farm on land at Fillpoke Lane between High Hesleden and Crimdon. Although it was felt that solar farms were generally acceptable in the right place, significant concerns had been raised locally that the proposed development was in the wrong place and that it would have an adverse visual impact on an otherwise attractive local landscape.
I reported that I had been contacted by several local residents over the past week or so expressing their concerns that the proposal would be a blight on the landscape and that it would take up land that should be preserved for food production. These were pretty much the same concerns that I had raised a few years ago when similar plans were revealed to construct a solar farm on land just off the A19 at Sheraton. Background details about this issue can be found here: Company launches 3 week public consultation on Benridge Solar Farm plans
5. Roadworks at St Joseph's RC primary school:
I gave an update on ongoing works to resurface a section of the highway at the entrance to St Joseph's school in preparation for eroded road markings to be reinstated. The resurfacing works were completed earlier this week ready for the re-lining works to take place.
6. Traffic-calming works at Station Road, Blackhall Rocks:
I reported that I had received confirmation from the highways department that they had now received the funding I had put in place, and that works to fully reinstate the speed humps were expected to be ordered by the end of next month at the latest.
I asked for these works to be carried out after a local resident from Station Road raised a petition last year which was signed by almost 100 residents in Blackhall Rocks concerned that the reduced height of the speed humps meant they were no longer effective. This is a note of the confirmation:
We were awaiting confirmation of the funding which I received this month.
I have a member of my team allocated to start the process on their return from annual leave next week.
As previously stated, no consultation/legal process is required for this scheme as we are simply replacing the existing traffic calming. Therefore, we will just be completing a design and ordering the works.
I will provide an update to [Councillor Crute] when the works are ordered, we will be aiming to order the work by end of March at the latest.
Background details to how this scheme came about can be found in this link: Funding in place to reinstate the speed humps on Station Road
7. Off-road bikes in Blackhall and Hesleden:
Queries were raised by residents about problems associated with quads and off-road bikes in Blackhall and Hesleden. The police updated on ongoing works through their OP Endurance initiative, which is designed to apprehend off-road bikers and identify locations where bikes are kept overnight.
I asked for an update on what was being done to address residents' concerns about this issue, and asked which were the locations most reported by residents. The police confirmed that they had began a series of targeted operations to tackle off-road bike issues in several locations, including on the beach banks and on the roads between Blackhall Colliery, High Hesleden and Hesleden.
8. Community Action Team (CAT) update:
Officers from the Community Action Team attended the PACT meeting to give an update on their 12 week project in Blackhall Colliery. It was reported that over 200 individual jobs had been raised following consultation and contact with local residents since the initiative began last month. The main priorities identified by residents included fly-tipping in the back yards of a number of properties in the former colliery streets, empty properties and dog fouling.
It was reported by the CAT team that the yards of several private-rented sector properties had now been cleared and that a number of empty private properties have now been put up for sale. Now that many of the yards were cleared of rubbish I urged the team to ensure wherever possible that the owner made their property secure to prevent any future incidents of fly-tipping.
The team also reported that the neighbourhood wardens were targeting a number of locations where dog fouling had been reported by residents as a particular issue.
9. Parking Charges at Crimdon: It was reported that the county council had confirmed recently that a scheme to introduce parking charges would take effect on 5 March. It's fair to say that this confirmation was not welcomed, and that there still remained considerable local opposition to a charging regime that would likely have a damaging impact locally.
As someone who has opposed the coalition's plans to impose parking charges from the very start I share the concerns of the many visitors, businesses and local residents that this scheme will deter people from coming to Crimdon and the rest of the Durham coast, and in so doing is likely to have a detrimental impact on businesses in nearby villages. Background details can be found here: Coalition to introduce parking charges at Crimdon from 5 March
That's a brief summary of some of the issues we covered last night. The next PACT meeting for Blackhall will be held on 26 March, but in the meantime if you have any issues you would like us to know about please let me or Stacey know and we'll raise them with the the appropriate agencies. We can be contacted at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk or stacey.deinali@durham.gov.uk
