February 1st 2022 Meeting Minutes
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD IN DARWEN TOWN HALL, ON TUESDAY,
FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022
Present: Couns. L. Salton, J East, K. Connor, D. Smith, B. Taylor, E. Entwistle, M. Davies,
P Browne and A Walker.
1.Welcome and introduction:
Coun Salton welcomed councillors to the meeting and
thanked them for their hard work during the last year.
2. Apologies
Couns. Hamer and Brookfield.
3.Declaration of interests :
None.
4 Minutes of the last meeting:
These were agreed.
4.1 Scroll of Honour
Coun. Connor reported the Lions group, which dealt with the scroll, is now defunct and he
had spoken to the last president, regarding placing the names of people from Darwen on it.
He was awaiting clarification and would confirm suggested names including: Tony
Harrison, Geoff Tolley, Gordon Holden and Maureen Savage. It was agreed the town
council would maintain the scroll, but to leave the decision of the names to be added to the
former Lions, to avoid any political differences.
5. Public forum
Janet Pearce from Keep Darwen Tidy expressed her frustration over the illegal felling of
trees in St Alban’s Road by contractors on behalf of a housing association. Coun. Smith
said it has been agreed the trees would be replaced.
Gary Perkins confirmed details re a submitted planning application. He had approached
BWD with 12 months of events planned in the bars he owns, but had received no response.
Coun. Taylor to chase up.
Coun. Taylor gave Mr Perkins contact details to help him with his fund raising to provide
more youth services in the town. Coun. East highlighted the successful football and cricket
teams in the town and the services provided by Knott Street and Blackburn Rovers. He
said there was a lot of work going on to help youths, particularly in the Sudell ward,
through the organisations and community police.
6 Mayor’s update
Coun Salton had attended a celebration of achievements event at Blackburn Rovers,
Christmas events, helped make a film linked with literature in schools and presented the
Mayor’s bonfire collection money to Cancer Research, who had sent in a letter of thanks.
7. Deputy leader’s report
Coun East gave details of the Darwen Deal progress. Coun. Browne asked for a written
report and Coun East to provide.
8. Children’s Literature Festival
Coun. Taylor had circulated details of a request for funding for the children’s literature
festival. It was agreed that the town council would pledge £3,000 towards the event and an
approach to be made to the Rotary Club and Lloyds Trust for a further £1,000 each.
9. Finance
Paid in:
£300 – refund of donation from Darwen Guides following cancellation of trip due to Covid.
Payments:
£749 x 2 for R Hay for salary and expenses for January and February.
£107.32 x 2 – R Hay pension. For January and February.
£40 – Janet Barritt for PAYE.
£2.85 – HMRC for PAYE.
£200 – Friends of Sunnyhurst Woods for Christmas concert.
£265 – S. Haslam for Spring Vale Garden work.
It was agreed to set the precept at £122,000. It was also agreed that any funding proposed
by the town council’s various committee’s will be ratified at full council.
Confirmed that the town council would continue to support the Life Education project until
2023, when a further decision would be made by the newly elected council.
10 Correspondence
Information regarding a proposed telecommunications upgrade at Plunder Price Papers,
Cotton Hall Street was relayed, information re the CVS had been passed to Coun. East to
deal with. Information re new upper river Darwen flood warning service and the final
consultation on the Local Plan for 2021-2037 were circulated via email round robin.
11 Updates
Coun. Davies is in discussions with Darwen Cricket Club re funding for the annual bonfire.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and ideas for events was discussed.
An application for funding from the new awards scheme had been submitted, but rejected
as it was felt that a small business award was a better option.
Coun. East said two new commonwealth war graves are to be dedicated in Darwen West
Cemetery on February 26th at 10-30 a.m.
.
12. Any other business
None..
13 Part 2 – press and public excluded
One item was discussed.
14. Date of next meeting
March 1st, Darwen Town Hall, 7 p.m. Items for the agenda to the clerk by February 21st
please