MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD IN DARWEN TOWN HALL, ON TUESDAY, MAY 14TH, 2024
Present: The newly elected council was installed and signed declaration of acceptance forms:
Couns Brookfield (Mayor), Hamer (Leader), Smith, Taylor, Shaw, Duncan, Dugan, Gibson,
McCaughran, Dobson, O’Garr, Skipper, Westall.
1.Welcome and introduction:..
2. Apologies
None
3.Declaration of interests :
None
4 Minutes of the last meeting:
These were agreed.
5. Public Forum
Mr Tony Foster thanked councillors for the loan of the town crier uniform to the Darwen Heritage
Centre. A framed photograph of King Charles, which had been given to the town council, is to be
displayed at the heritage centre.
6 Mayor’s update
The Mayor, Coun Brookfield welcome the new council and paid tribute to the former councillors,
with special thanks to Mr and Mrs Kevin and Barbara Connor for their help during Coun Brookfield’s
original Mayoral period. Coun Smith asked that letters of thanks are sent to all former councillors to
mark their hard work and dedication to the town. Coun Brookfield asked for permission to buy
safety chains for the Mayoral chain and this was agreed.
7. Leader’s report
Coun Hamer also welcomed the new council and said he was looking forward to working for the
town.
8 Correspondence
None.
9 Updates
Coun O Garr is to liaise with former Coun Mark Davies re the town crier and event dates and also
with Laura Johnson, who organises town council events.
Outstanding applications for town awards were agreed with £418.99 going to St James Church
Over Darwen for a fridge/freezer and £675 for a trip to represent the town at the annual Whit
Marches in May. Coun Taylor abstained from the vote for the brass band donation.
10. Finance
Payments:
£4,500 – Lets Make – June fun day.
£850 – R Hay for salary and expenses.
£147.50 – Clerk’s pension contribution.
£40 – Information Commissioner.
£605 – J Barritt, annual audit.
£1,008 – Treescape for Bold Venture Park grant.
£549 – Lawn Mower Specialist for Friends of Darwen Cemetry grant.
£1,200 – Travel Assist for scooter rally grant.
£90 – Lambretta Art for scooter rally grant.
£152 – Henry Christopher printers for scooter rally grant.
£340 – Crusader Promotions for scooter rally grant.
£467.22 – Whittakers Embroidery for Friends of Darwen Cemetry grant
£418.99 – St James Over Darwen grant from town awards.
£675 – Darwen Brass band grant from town awards.
.
The annual internal audit had been successfully completed and the relevant forms signed.
11. Any other business
Coun Shaw is to discuss the website layout and content with the current administrator.
Coun Duncan gave details of a Gentlemen’s Club motorcycle event this weekend.
12 Part 2 – press and public excluded
None..
13 Date of next meeting
June 4th, Darwen Town Hall, 7 p.m Agenda items to be with the clerk by May 24th please.