COUNTY council officers should have consulted the landowner before carrying out work at a dale beauty spot, Cotherstone parish councillors agreed.
Work teams from Durham County Council cut back undergrowth along a 200-metre track at the Hagg at Cotherstone, down to the Tees after the issue was highlighted by visitor Peter White in the Teesdale Mercury (October 11).
Parish councillors expressed dismay that bosses at Durham had not seen fit to consult them as owners of the land.
At their latest meeting, Cllr Jenny Watson said she couldn’t understand why work teams had decided to complete work on private land.
She said: “They cut enough back lane but they didn’t do the bit around the corner. Maybe they were rushing down to the Hagg to do that. Now I have read the Mercury I understand why.”
Clerk Judith Mashiter said: “The track down to Hagg House is parish council land. They should not be spending public money on private land.”
Cllr Robert Johnson said officials acknowledged the land was private before the work was done. He added: “Why did they do the cutting back on a path without consulting the landowner?”
Ms Mashiter added that Staindrop Parish Council had also experienced similar problems with the county council carrying out work on private land.
Chairman Cllr John Birkett said: “On the other hand it saves us money.”
Cllr Watson added: “But we still need to do the bank side.”
Cllr Johnson added: “Fair enough they have cut it back, but if the work they have done causes someone to be injured, are they liable?”
Cllr Richard Hunter said: “They claimed the adopted road finishes at Hagg House entrance. I don’t think so. It is Tarmacked all the way down to Balder Bridge and although it says no vehicles, it was done for emergency vehicles to access the river.
“If it is our track, are we liable to Tarmac it? It is part of the highway that goes down to the Hagg.”
He added: “I think the point is we should have been consulted regardless of the status of the road because the Hagg greens are part of the parish council land and it is registered as common land. Just out of courtesy.”
It was agreed the clerk will ask highways officials to clarify the situation regarding whether the track was adopted and under whose responsibility maintenance falls.
