Present: Couns. Connor, Perkins , East, Salton, Smith, Slater, Browne, Taylor Rothwell and Entwistle.

1.Welcome and introduction:  .

2.Apologies:  Couns. Davies, Hollings and Brookfield.

3.Declarations of Interest:  Coun East for Friends of Darwen Cemetery, Friends of Darwen Library and Friends of Darwen Heritage Centre. Coun. Slater for Royal British Legion.

4 Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising

 

These were agreed, with two minor amendments. On item five it should read Hollins Grove. On item 12, it is a World War I structure not statue and was unveiled on July 1^st.

 

4.1 Elections

 

Coun Smith said there would be elections in 2020 and 2022 before any changes.

5 Public forum

Mr David Horsefield asked why the public forum was held at the beginning and not the end of the meeting and it was explained this was due to requests from the public and this was usual practice in other authorities.

Mr Horsefield asked for the total number of votes in Darwen West and Coun. Smith said around 6,437 with each allowed up to 3 votes. He said he would get the exact number.

6 Mayor’s report

Coun Davies had presented a cheque for £1,400 to Square Meadow FC and attended events at the Royal British Legion, Anchor pub and Darwen FC.

7 Deputy leader’s report

Coun. Connor said he had attended Armed Forces events and the unveiling of the World War I structure. Coun East said the event had gone very well and the structure has been praised as it is the only one of its kind in the area and will be linked up to an education programme through Darwen Heritage Centre. Booklets marking the victims of the war who are buried in Darwen Cemetery are on sale from the heritage centre at £5. A letter of thanks was also sent to the council from the Friends of Darwen Heritage Centre for the council support.

8. Town Crier

Coun. Browne had collected and returned the uniform to the council. A bell and hat are to still to be returned. Coun. Browne said due to the money spent on the uniform by the town council, it was only right that a person be appointed town crier. It was agreed this could be male or female and Coun, Connor is to prepare an advert and liaise with the website administrator re advertising.

9  Finance

 

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Authorised payments:

£1,364 – Northstar Printers for Darwen Live booklets.

£655.81- Rebecca Hay, salary and expenses for clerk.

£26.62 – LCC – clerk’s pension contribution.

£600 – The Magnificent Agency for a Darwen Live band.

£4,926  – Four Seasons for floral summer planting and maintenance.

£1,215 – Four Seasons for new motorway planters.

£1,056 – PRS for Darwen Live music licence.

£8,964 – re issue of Resonate Production Services cheque.

£1,336.60 – Smith’s Hire for generators for Christmas market.

£200 – Ignite Parties for 1940s Day.

£250 – C. Doherty for 1940s Day.

£100 – S. Taylor for organisation of 1940s Day.

£4,200 – Lancashire Police for Darwen Live.

Crown Paints had confirmed in 2017 the balance brought forward was £27,763 and in 2018 £12,790 spent on the Crown Awards. The amount available is £14,973. It was agreed that no further contribution be made by the council this year. A review of the awards and how they are run and publicised is to be carried out by the council representatives in a bid to attract more entrants. The clerk to ask Crown Paints to liaise with Coun. Davies.

10. Correspondence

 

Clerk’s Direct magazine passed to Coun. Connor. A request for 4ft Darwen Towers to be recreated by local artists was received and passed to Coun. East to pursue.

11  Updates

Coun. Browne said a request for funding had been received from The Friends of Sunnyhurst Woods and will be discussed after the September meeting.

Coun. Rothwell gave a detailed report on Darwen Live and said over 30,000 people attended. There are big plans for next year and planning has already started. The event has been put forward for a national award, which if successful would help possible funding if a Darwen Live group was constituted. Coun. Rothwell said many new things introduced this year are in place for next year. Coun. Rothwell was thanked for her efforts.

Coun. Connor said there had been eight applications for the role of events co ordinator and the role has been offered to Samantha Taylor, subject to her agreeing a contract. Coun. Taylor questioned the wisdom of employing the person who had spent 230 per cent of the budget on the Christmas market. Coun. Connor said safe guards have been put in place since the event and lesson learned. The contract is to be vetted by a solicitor and the post reviewed in 12 months. Also more volunteers are to be encouraged to help out.

Coun. East said he is working with an architect on a plan to improve the Whitehall Tramway as part of the Darwen Heritage Trail.

]12 Any other business

Coun. Rothwell said she had been approached by the grandmother of Jay Taylor who has been killed earlier this year, to organise a memorial at Christmas. Coun. East said there are various organisations who do this and agreed to liaise with Coun, Rothwell.

13  Part 2 – public and press excluded.

 

Two items discussed.

 

14  Date of next meeting.

September 4th at 7 p.m. Agenda items to be with the clerk by August 27th please.