MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD IN DARWEN TOWN HALL, ON TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER 2ND, 2021

Present: Couns. L. Salton, J East, K. Connor, P. Browne, D. Smith, B. Taylor, E. Entwistle,
M. Davies and S. Brookfield.

1.Welcome and introduction: Coun Salton welcomed councillors to the meeting.

2. Apologies

Couns. Hamer and Walker.

3.Declaration of interests : Couns Slater on RBL and Coun. East on Rotary Club of Darwen.

4 Minutes of the last meeting:

These were agreed.
5. Public forum

Janet Pearce from Keep Darwen Tidy asked if a refill water station, similar to the one in
Blackburn town centre, could be provided. The clerk to contact BWD. Also she said the
group has spent 33 hours collecting 13 tonnes of green waste in Lyndhurst Street. She
asked if the council would sponsor a fruit tree to encourage people in the area to engage in
sustainability. The council agreed in principle to buy a tree, subject to advice from BWD’s
tree officer. Local bar owners and a representative from Darwen Community Wellness discussed
plans to incorporate a skateboard project and community wellness with a planned new
play centre in the town. Couns East and Taylor gave advice on grants available. The bar
owners also asked for help in meeting with officials from BWD in a bid to promote the town.
It was suggested they contact the BWD chief executive.

Representations have been made to BWD by a bar owner for the need for double yellow
lines and railings outside a pub in Borough Road without any response. Coun Smith to
contact BWD.

6 Mayor’s update
Coun Salton had planted bulbs, attended toddler groups and is to hand out certificates at a
monthly assembly in Sudell school and also attended the launch of a new historical guide
to Darwen.

7. Deputy leader’s report
Coun East said a 101 Commonwealth graves have now been recognised at St James’s,
Lower Darwen. The opening of Darwen Tower will depend on the weather and contractor.
The council office is to be cleaned up. Coun. East urged BWD members to sort out old
signage in the town centre. He said there is a new police inspector and sergeant. Two
planters have been left in the town centre for the Keep Darwen Tidy group. The food larder
is doing well and the Rotary Club of Darwen is handing out winter coats to the needy and
gave £500 to the Over Darwen Food Larder.

8. Finance

Paid in:
£250 – sponsorship for Darwen Live. Payments:
£749 R Hay for salary and expenses
£107.32 – R Hay pension.
£400 – Forever Tenor, Darwen Live band.
£600 – Mojo Agency, Darwen Live band.
£600 – CuzBuz Records for Darwen Live band.
£2,400 – Grace Davies, Darwen Live band.
£5,400 – The Magnificent Agency – Darwen Live band.
£7,889.49 – Exclusec Group, security for Darwen Live.
£7,000 – EPL, lighting and stage for Darwen Live.
£2,196 – Portable Toilets, crowd barriers and toilets for Darwen Live.
£238.15 – Darwen Healthcare for Keep Darwen healthy newsletters.
£5,590 – Four Seasons Garden Centre for autumn planting.
£10,000 – BWD for donation towards the Darwen Library Theatre shows.
£618 – The Security Company – safe opening in the town hall.
£900 – Martins Countryside Contracting – for work held at Sunnyhurst Woods.

12 Correspondence
Details of Remembrance Sunday were shared by the Friends of Darwen Cemetery. They
asked if the town council was planning to organise anything to remember those who lost
their lives through COVID. This is in hand for a later date. BWD asked if any members are first aid trained or willing to be trained. The clerk to
provide the details.

13 Updates

Coun. Connor gave a detailed breakdown of the proposed budget. This is to be discussed
at a future meeting. It was agreed to donate £10,000 towards the Christmas lights switch
on and events. It was also agreed to pay for medics and extra lighting at the annual bonfire
event, with a proviso that next year, the funding will be re looked at. The new town awards will be launched in early 2022. Coun. Taylor said that as there were going to be too many pantomimes in the borough, it
had agreed that instead, Darwen Library Theatre will hold a series of Christmas film
favourites. More details to follow.

14. Any other business
It was agreed that the public forum is to be changed to “questions to the town council’’ and
each person is given 3 minutes to speak. This is to allow the meeting to flow properly.

15 Part 2 – press and public excluded
Two items were discussed.

16. Date of next meeting
December 7th 2021, Darwen Town Hall, 7 p.m. Items for the agenda to the clerk by November 29th please.