What Is Darwen Town Council?

Darwen Town Council was established by public referendum in October 2008.

It is a Parish Council — the most local level of government in England and Wales. Some Parish Councils refer to themselves as “Town Councils”.

What we do:

• We allocate funds raised via the precept to projects in Darwen
• We support community initiatives, parks, events and local groups

What we don’t do:

• We are not responsible for road maintenance, bins or planning
• These are handled by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

If you’re not sure who to contact, speak to your local councillor or contact us directly.

You can also reach Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council here.

The Precept

Darwen Town Council receives around £122,000 per year from residents in the precept area — collected as part of your annual council tax.

Key points:

• Every penny is spent within the precept area
• Councillors are unpaid and claim no expenses
• The role is voluntary and community-led

How we spend the precept:

Events
We fund events that draw people into the town and promote community pride, including Darwen Live, the Christmas Lights Switch On, and more.

Parks
We provide additional funding for park improvements like benches, signs and artwork — beyond what the Borough Council covers.

Awards
We run a local grant scheme supporting community clubs and groups. Past support has gone to:

• Age UK’s Walking Football
• Knitting and craft groups
• Darwen Girls & Ladies Football Club
• Friends of Darwen Cemetery

Useful Links:

• Check if you’re in the precept area
• See what you pay (Council Tax Band Info)

In most cases, the precept is just over 0.5% of your total annual Council Tax bill.

Our Councillors

You can contact councillors using the details below or by getting in touch with the Clerk.

Many councillors also represent Darwen on Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and hold local ward surgeries.

Planning applications are also listed on the Borough Council website.

Mayor of Darwen Town Council

The current Mayor is Councillor Stephanie Brookfield.

How it works:

• Each May, a sitting Town Councillor is elected Mayor at the AGM
• The role is ceremonial and representative

Mayoral Duties Include:

• Sitting on the Darwen Heritage Centre committee
• Attending Royal British Legion and Remembrance events
• Flag raising ceremonies
• St George’s Day Parade with the Scouts
• Award presentations and seasonal appearances

“It is an honour to serve as the Mayor of Darwen. I am always happy to represent the people of Darwen and welcome any invitations to engagements.”
– Councillor Brookfield

Latest Meeting Minutes

You can access our most recent meeting minutes below or via the main menu at the top of this page.

We publish minutes monthly. If you have questions after reading them, feel free to get in touch.

Upcoming Events

Darwen Town Council supports a wide range of community events across the year.

Events we support include:

• Darwen Live (free music festival)
• Christmas Lights Switch On
• The Scooter Rally
• The Brass Band Competition

We aim to fund events that bring people together and boost the town centre economy.