Community Action Team to visit town

Members of the Community Action Team.

Our Community Action Team (CAT) is preparing to move to Spennymoor, where it will be in place for 11 weeks. The team works across the county and provides resources to target particular areas and issues. It uses enforcement powers to encourage owners, occupiers and landlords to take responsibility for their neighbourhood and their properties.

The team has just completed an 11-week run in Easington Colliery, during which officers issued more than 200 legal notices and tackled 330 reported issues such as flytipping and illegal waste. Officers have also worked closely with the new selective licensing team to ensure private let properties in the area are licensed.

Have your say 

The team will be in Spennymoor between Monday 20 June and Sunday 4 September and officers are asking people who live or work in the area to give views on any issues which they feel need to be tackled. Residents can drop in to see the team at St Paul's Centre, DL16 7LR, on Tuesday 21 June between 4pm and 6pm and on Monday 27 June between 9.30am and 11.30am.

Alternatively, they can fill in an online survey. 

Some of the issues the team tackle include:

• empty properties
• rubbish in open spaces
• underage sales of alcohol
• anti-social behaviour
• loan sharks and illegal money lending
• illegal sales of cheap cigarettes
• dog fouling
• noise

The team also advises on energy efficiency schemes.

Identifying issues 

Cllr John Shuttleworth, our Cabinet member for rural communities and highways, including community safety, said: "Our Community Action projects allow us to tackle a variety of housing and environmental issues across County Durham by working alongside residents and partners. This partnership working helps us to pool knowledge and resources to enhance our communities and help residents in the process.

"If you are a resident of Spennymoor, please get in touch with the team so that officers can identify and deal with the issues which you feel need addressing."