Reform UK urged to come clean about DOGE access to public data

Yesterday morning I attended a meeting of Durham County Council's Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Management Board (COSMB) - the first one held since Reform UK took control of the council last month. 

Agenda items for discussion included the forthcoming Best Value and Corporate Peer Challenge scheduled to take place in October. There was also the opportunity for members to shape the Board's work programme for the coming year.

The Best Value and Corporate Peer Review Challenge is run by the Local Government Association (LGA) and is intended to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of council-run services. The initial stages of the process were begun last year under the former coalition in control of the council and are expected to continue in October this year under the new Reform UK administration.

My concerns about how the current Reform UK leadership is preparing for the LGA review were raised last week when the leader of the council stated in a recorded meeting of the council's cabinet that his administration's policies 'will not necessarily align with the principles of Best Value' - an astonishing statement considering that every local authority's evaluation of effective and efficient public services are founded on those very principles! 

I suggested that members of the Board should include the LGA's review and peer challenge in the coming year's work programme. This would enable non-executive councillors to follow the process throughout. The LGA's report will be published after the inspection has concluded and the cabinet is expected to respond within a defined timeframe. Board members felt it was important that they had oversight of the cabinet's initial position statement and its response to the LGA, so for those reasons the review has now been added to the work programme.

Another issue I've asked to be included in the work programme relates to Reform UK's proposed DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) initiative, which has been borrowed from a similar scheme adopted by the Trump/Musk regime in the US - and something that hasn't quite been the roaring success it was intended to be. Under Reform UK's plans a team of 'world-beating' software engineers would be given open access to the council's data and records with the intention of identifying waste in public services - or at least those services that managed somehow to survive years of unnecessary austerity unleashed by the Tory party and supported (somewhat ironically) by Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK.

As I said at the Board meeting yesterday, no one in county hall should have any fear of scrutiny - after all the council has always been open to both internal and external scrutiny over the years. However, several residents have contacted me expressing their concerns about who these 'world-beating' software engineers actually are, which data they will demand to see and what they then intend to do with it. 

There are additional concerns about how sensitive personal data will be used (such as details of council tax and housing benefit claims, family details in cases of children's social services queries and many more), and perhaps most importantly concerns about who will actually own the data harvested throughout the process. Members of the public want to know if their personal details will remain subject to general data protection regulations (GDPR) that are intended to protect individuals from improper use of data. Once the data has been accessed by Reform UK or its software engineers who will it belong to? Will the company have control of the data and personal information or will Reform UK seize it? And again, what will the party and/or their data company do with the information once they've trawled through it?

Just as no one should be running scared of public scrutiny and accountability, Reform UK's data grab project must also be open to public scrutiny and accountability.

The Northern Echo published an account of yesterday's Board meeting (link below), and the article has elicited some quite hysterical (and predictable) comments about everyone at the county council having something to hide. As far as I'm aware this isn't the case - but equally, if the leaders of Reform UK have nothing to hide let them come clean with members of the public. Let's have full disclosure of their DOGE data access programme and then open it up to all members of the council and the people of County Durham they represent. Anything less than full disclosure might lead the public to think the leaders of Reform UK have something to hide. 

Durham councillors “in the dark” over Reform Doge plans | The Northern Echo

Measures to prevent potential unauthorised encampment

I was contacted last night by a resident who had heard rumours of a potential unauthorised encampment on land to the rear of the Esso service station on the Coast Road in Blackhall. 

Although this is just hear-say at the moment I thought it best to raise the matter with the relevant authorities rather than risk a repeat of events associated with the most recent illegal trespass on land at the former colliery site back in 2013. 

I've written to the council and other authorities this morning with a request that whichever measures required are put in place to prevent any unauthorised encampment on this land. I'll update on any significant developments as and when they arise. 

Council responds to residents' concerns about parking restrictions at the Scheme Houses

Last week I published a couple of articles relating to the council's intention to introduce parking restrictions at a number of defined locations at the Scheme Houses. Full background details can be found in this link: Update on the council's proposal to introduce parking restrictions at the Scheme House

Since then I've made representations to the council on behalf of residents who understandably have concerns about the impact these restrictions might have in terms of displacing their vehicles, especially when there are severely limited on-street parking spaces elsewhere. 

I've now received a response from the council and I've reproduced their comments below in full. I'm preparing to go back to the council with further comments so if you have anything you would like me to raise on your behalf please let me know by emailing me at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk 

Good afternoon Cllr Crute,

These proposals are being introduced to support Rule 243 of the Highway Code which states:

'Do not stop or park opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space.'

This rule is designed to:

• Maintain clear visibility for drivers entering or exiting junctions,
• Ensure emergency and larger vehicles can manoeuvre safely,
• And reduce the risk of accidents caused by obstructed views.

We recognise that with the continued rise in car ownership, on-street parking has become increasingly common. While we aim to accommodate this where possible, it must be balanced with the need to maintain safety and accessibility. As such, residents are not guaranteed parking directly outside their homes, though we do strive to keep the extent of restrictions to a minimum while addressing the concerns raised.

With regard to the potential displacement of parking near the park, the relevant team has been notified and will assess the current traffic calming measures in that area in relation to vehicle speeds. With regard to displacement, this will be assessed by our team to ensure that any further restrictions are precisely targeted, avoiding the unnecessary removal of additional parking.

During the informal consultation stage, we notified directly affected frontages to ensure awareness of the proposals. The current on-site notices serve as the formal advertisement and provide an opportunity for all interested parties to submit comments. For your reference, I’ve attached a list of the properties that received letters during the informal stage, along with a plan highlighting the affected frontages.

In response to the suggestion of time-based restrictions aligned with refuse collection, this is not a viable option in this instance. Access for larger vehicles, including emergency services, must be maintained at all times. As previously mentioned, we have sought to limit the scope of the proposals to balance resident parking needs with essential access requirements.

Update on the council's proposal to introduce parking restrictions at the Scheme House

Earlier this week I posted an article setting out the council's intention to impose parking restrictions at a number of defined locations throughout the Scheme Houses. It is understood that these measures are deemed necessary to enable access for refuse and recycling bin motors to the side streets which are sometimes blocked by vehicles parked at the street ends. You can read full background details here: Council set to impose parking restrictions at the Scheme Houses and Blackhall Rocks

Since I posted that article I've made written representations to the officer dealing with the council's proposals. I've published my communication below for information. 

Good morning ******,

Ref: 10386989

I was contacted last night by several residents from the Scheme Houses estate in Blackhall Colliery after notices had been erected earlier in the day advising of the traffic order mentioned in your email.

Many of the residents were concerned about the potential impact of the traffic order which will restrict parking at several locations on the estate. Their main issue was with the potentially unintended consequences of parking restrictions which would force residents to park elsewhere in streets that are already fully occupied with vehicles. Some had concerns that this would impact on road safety at children’s play area nearby at Coleridge Avenue, while others were worried that they would have nowhere at all to park due to the heavily congested streets along Shaftesbury Road and others branching off from it.

I was also told by some residents that they had no idea about the proposals until yesterday when the notices were put up. I’m aware that a form of consultation was carried out earlier this year to gauge residents’ feelings about the parking plans but I’m not sure about the extent of the consultation nor of its outcome. If this information could be supplied it might well allay local concerns, although it is unlikely to address residents’ frustration that no other options were offered to deal with obstructive parking at these locations.

As with almost all residents in the area I acknowledge that measures need to be put in place to enable refuse and recycling motors to access the bins left in the side streets, however it would be helpful if more information could be given on the points raised above.

I notice you are out of the office for the time being so I look forward to receiving your comments when you return next week.

After I posted details earlier this week on social media I was contacted by a resident at the Scheme Houses who suggested a compromise proposal whereby the planned restrictions would only be applied during a time-limited period, for example on a Friday morning and early afternoon when the majority of bins are empties at the Scheme Houses.

This seems to be a sensible and workable alternative that would free up the streets at peak times and also address the concerns of the residents who have contacted me about this matter so I've raised it with the officer concerned with a request it is considered as a compromise.

Good morning ******,

Ref: 10386989

Further to my email to you yesterday a resident has contacted me to ask if time-limited restrictions could be applied rather than the blanket restrictions set out in the notice received earlier this week. It is suggested for example that parking restrictions could be imposed during the hours preceding and during the hours of refuse and recycling collection operations (ie, 7am to 3pm each Friday).

This seems to be a sensible compromise that might also address the concerns of many residents as detailed in my email yesterday. Could you let me know please if this alternative could be workable.

The officer dealing with this issue is away from the council until next week so I'll update on progress as soon as I have a response.

Council set to impose parking restrictions at the Scheme Houses and Blackhall Rocks

I’ve been contacted tonight by residents from the Scheme Houses concerned that the council has posted notices today advising that it intends to impose parking restrictions at some of the street corners (locations shown in in the image below).

I was told earlier today about the council’s intentions, but beyond that I have no further information on the matter, nor any idea how or where the plans originated. This concerns me because it resembles the way parking charges were imposed at Crimdon earlier this year, despite significant local opposition and my own objections.

To make matters worse, I’m not aware that any meaningful form of consultation was carried out in relation to this latest development. This has left residents largely in the dark about the details of the plans and any implications they might have in terms of parking their vehicles once the restrictions are in place.

I’ll make enquiries in the morning to try and find out how these latest proposals came about and I’ll post an update as soon as I have more information.

Parking enforcement in Blackhall Colliery

I was at a PACT meeting in Blackhall Colliery a couple of months ago where a member of the public raised concerns with me about illegal and inconsiderate parking in a few locations in the village where double yellow lines had been installed earlier this year.

I asked the council's parking enforcement team to take a look at those locations and they have carried out targeted visits in the area on a number of occasions since. I've published below their findings.

Please note that the enforcement team will carry our further visits to these locations as part of their routine patrols. I'll update on any enforcement actions taken as soon as I receive the next update.

In the meantime, if you have any similar issues to report in your neighbourhood please get in touch using the form on these pages and I'll forward details to the parking enforcement team for their attention.

Community Activities Update for May 2025

Since my most recent local issues and casework update report last month I’ve raised over 52 queries with the authorities on behalf of residents and businesses across the new Blackhalls & Hesledens ward. I've also been in direct contact with more than 70 individual residents (as you might have noticed the number of contacts this month has reduced considerably since my last report in April where the figures were inflated by an unusually high amount of casework queries in the run-up to the local elections held on Thursday 1 May). Almost all of these queries are personal and/or confidential so for obvious reasons details cannot and will not be disclosed to the public.

In addition, I’ve dealt with a number of general queries raised by members of the public. These include issues raised at ward surgeries, during street walkabouts, at the monthly Blackhall PACT meeting and through other methods, including direct contact with me via telephone, email and my social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky).

The main issues covered this month include plans for a speed survey at Blackhall Rocks, a new PACT meeting for Hesleden and delays to repairs to streetlighting faults at Broad Road. I’ve selected just a few of the articles about these issues for re-posting, just in case you missed them first time around.

Please follow the links below for full details. If you have any queries or comments that require a response please get in touch with me direct at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk

Police Speed Survey at Blackhall Rocks: Request for a 24/7 Speed Survey at Blackhall Rocks

Footpath and Highways repairs queries: Footpath and highway repairs at Station Road, Blackhall Rocks

Details of a PACT meeting for Hesleden confirmed: Police confirm details of a PACT meeting for Hesleden

Damaged wall at Corry Close: Damaged wall at Corry Close

Delays to streetlight repairs at Broad Road, Blackhall Rocks: Streetlighting fault at Blackhall Rocks

Streetlighting fault at Blackhall Rocks

Last week I was contacted by residents at Broad Road in Blackhall Rocks reporting that the street lights had been out of order for some weeks.

I reported the fault to the council immediately and I've received a response this week which estimates a 25-day response time for repairs. A lengthy response time like this normally means there is a deep-seated fault that would require attention by a separate agency such as Northern Powergrid.

I'll monitor progress with this issue and update as soon as I have more information.

Damaged wall at Corry Close

Earlier this week I was contacted by a resident reporting further damage to the wall at the bottom of Corry Close. It may be recalled that the same wall partially collapsed a few years ago leaving an unsightly gap along the boundary between the houses in Corry Close and the spare land adjacent to the lines on the East Durham Coast railway line.

On closer inspection it looks as though trees on the eastern side of the wall are pressing against it and forcing it into the public footpath. I've reported the wall to the authorities with a request the wall is made safe as soon as possible and then rebuilt to its former condition.

I'll update on progress as soon as I have more information but in the meantime please take extra care when at this location. 

Police confirm details of a PACT meeting for Hesleden

A few weeks ago I attended a meeting of the Hesledens Residents' Association where residents asked if a PACT meeting could be held in the village. Background details can be found in this link: A PACT meeting for Hesleden

I raised this idea with the police at the Blackhall PACT meeting shortly afterwards and I've received confirmation from our local PCSO over the weekend that a PACT meeting for Hesleden will be held in Hesleden WMC at 6pm on 27 June. I'll repost full details closer to the time of the meeting.

Footpath and highway repairs at Station Road, Blackhall Rocks

Last week a resident contacted me to report the deteriorating condition of the footpaths at Station Road in Blackhall Rocks. I had already issued a request for repairs a few months ago so I asked the highways section at county hall for an update. 

In response I've received confirmation that the footpaths had been inspected and have been added to the works programme for the coming year. Please see details below:

An investigation has been carried out and on this occasion your request has been added to the current work programme. This means that the necessary works have been ordered and it is expected that the work will be completed within the current financial year.

Please note that the work programme is determined on a priority basis in accordance with our highway safety maintenance regime which follows national guidelines. Therefore on some occasions it may take us longer than expected to complete the work.

We will continue to monitor the highway through our routine safety inspections and any repairs will be made if deemed necessary. However should the condition of the Road or footpath deteriorate further.

This latest update on footpath repairs at Station Road follows a request I raised last year for the speed humps to be modified to bring them back to an effective condition. These works were included in the works programme earlier this year. Full details can be found in an update report I published a few months ago. Full details can be found in this link: Blackhall PACT meeting for February 2025

Request for a 24/7 Speed Survey at Blackhall Rocks

Residents contacted me recently to tell me about their concerns about an increase in reports of speeding vehicles on the Coast Road at Blackhall Rocks. They also expressed their concern that there had been an uplift in reports of accidents caused by dangerous driving practices at Broad Road. 

My first reaction was to get in touch with the Traffic Management Office at Durham police who looked back at the history of speeding reports and associated accidents at this location. They have told me that there have been only a limited amount of incidents reported over the past 3 years, but they've acknowledged that their accident reports data may well be out of date. To update this information the police have suggested that a new survey should be carried out to get more up to date and accurate data on their system.

In response to the issues mentioned by the police I've since raised residents' concerns with the highways department at Durham County Council, and I've issued a request for a speed survey at the Coast Road. 

To make sure that the information needed to press for appropriate traffic-calming measures is sufficiently detailed I've asked that the survey takes place continuously for 24 hours a day over a 7 day period. Once that data is available I'll approach the police and highways authority again with a request that suitable measures are taken to limit speeding and address residents' concerns about dangerous driving practices along this stretch of road. 

I'll update on progress with my requests as soon as I have more information from the relevant authorities, but in the meantime I've published below the response I received last month from the Traffic Management Office at Durham police:  

Hi Rob,

I have looked at our collision records for the past 3 years (this being our normal research criteria) for the area which appears to cover the area of A1086 Blackhall raised in **** email to you. The collision history shows that between 01/01/22 and 28/02/25 we have three collisions recorded.

04/06/22 – 19:29 hours – Damage Only

Vehicle 2 (car) parked around junction. Vehicle 1 (car) turned left at speed and collided with Vehicle 2. Vehicle 1 then reversed and drove off without stopping  and leaving details.

19/04/23 – 09:33 hours – Serious Injury

Vehicle 1 (car) allegedly driving erratically and at excess speed on Coast Road. Vehicle 1 allegedly weaving through traffic at speed and been overtaking vehicles on wrong side of road at busy junction when it has hit pedestrian who was crossing to go to shop. Vehicle made off without stopping.

02/09/23 – 18:30 hours – Slight Injury

Pedestrian crossing to go to shop. As started to cross Vehicle1 (car) appeared at speed and collided with Pedestrian who sustained injuries.

We don’t appear to have any Community Speed Watch data for this area which is recent.

Also speed survey data wise there is no current 7 day 24 hour data available from DCC that we could use with credibility as what is recorded is now too old to inform our enforcement decisions in particular around if we could consider mobile speed camera attention.

For this one I could see if we can get DCC to undertake a new full 7 day/ 24 hour speed survey.

With regard to the measures suggested at the crossing points as you know that is really a matter for DCC as Highway Authority to ultimately answer but I am aware that such physical measures on an A class road is not encouraged by Department for Transport so unlikely to be progressed.

Local Issues and Casework Update for April 2025

Since my most recent local issues and casework update report last month I’ve raised over 145 queries with the authorities on behalf of residents and businesses across the Blackhall ward. I've also been in direct contact with more than 140 individual residents. Almost all of these queries are personal and/or confidential so for obvious reasons details cannot and will not be disclosed to the public.

In addition, I’ve dealt with a number of general queries raised by members of the public. These include issues raised at ward surgeries, during street walkabouts, at the monthly Blackhall PACT meeting and through other methods, including direct contact with me via telephone, email and my social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky).

The main issues covered this month include environmental improvement schemes at a number of prominent locations, full fibre broadband delivery, addressing residents' reports of fly-tipping and tackling irresponsible driving practices. I’ve selected a few of the articles about these issues for re-posting, just in case you missed them first time around. 

You'll also find many more day-to-day updates on my Facebook page at: Facebook

Please follow the links below for full details. If you have any queries or comments that require a response please get in touch with me direct at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk 

Fence repairs on Middle Street: Fence repairs on Middle Street

Police response to reports of irresponsible driving practices on the B1281: Concerns raised with police and highways authority about dangerous driving practices on the B1281

Broadband provision in Hesleden: Full fibre broadband provision in Hesleden

Environmental improvements in Blackhall: Residents welcome recent improvements in the Blackhall street scene

Damaged gate to be replaced at High Hesleden: Boom gate replacement at High Hesleden