MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD IN DARWEN TOWN HALL, ON TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 3RD, 2024
Present: Couns Hamer (Leader), Smith, Dugan, McCaughran, Duncan, Skipper, Westall, Shaw,
Dobson and Gibson.
1.Welcome and introduction:..
.
2. Apologies
Couns Taylor, Brookfield and O Garr
3.Declaration of interests :
None.
4 Minutes of the last meeting:
These were agreed.
5. Questions from residents
None.
6. Mayor’s update
The Mayor had attended various Remembrance Day events and had been particularly impressed
with the way school children had respected and shown real interest in the occasion. Also, Coun
Brookfield had attended St Cuthbert’s pantomime. This was her third year attending and each time,
the production gets better.
7. Leader’s report
Coun Hamer had attended Remembrance Day events and also the Lancashire Day event held by
LCC, BWD and Blackpool to outline their plans for devolution and an injection of money into
Darwen. He had also enjoyed the Friends of Sunnyhurst Woods’s carols in the woods and the
Christmas lights switch on.
Coun Hamer is still working towards finding a suitable venue for the town bonfire. Coun Duncan
suggested the DACA site and said this could also be used for the brass band competition if the
market square is not available.
8 Darwen Live restricted funding
Coun Duncan proposed, as the town council’s contribution is currently a quarter of the precept,
that the town council restrict the sponsorship to £20,000 and that the organisers find other funding
streams. Coun Smith said the issue is one which needs to be set by the finance committee as part
of its annual budget.
Darren James, organiser of the event attended and explained the ever increasing finances and
complications of running Darwen Live. As it is the 25th anniversary in 2025, it is hoped the event will
be extra special. He said BWD licensing is looking at resolving trader/parking issues for next year.
Coun Gibson said it may be that unless local venues who profit from the event, are willing to
sponsor, that future Darwen Live events have to be paid for ticketed.
9. Correspondence
Details of a temporary closure of footpath 251 Darwen were circulated, along with community
orchard scheme information from LCC.
10 Updates
The town crier had attended Remembrance Day events and the Christmas lights switch on.
An application for £1,996 plus VAT was agreed for Friends of Whitehall Park for two lecterns to
provide information on the park. Coun Duncan to liaise with the group over the grant.
Coun Shaw gave an update on the website and said the new domain is registered. Couns Skipper,
Dobson and Dugan are to work towards designing a new look site and find a suitable provider.
No confirmed date has been decided by BWD for work to be carried out in the town hall, the clerk is
in contact with Darwen Heritage Centre if a new temporary home is needed for meetings.
11. Finance
Payments:
£4,927.32 – Glasdon UK, Friends of Bold Venture Park bench grant.
£1,800 – Ham Landscapes for installation of benches, Friends of Bold Venture Park bench grant
£880 – R Hay for salary and expenses.
£147.50 – Clerk’s pension contribution.
£840.28 – St Edward’s Play and Stay, town awards grant.
£281.56 – Textiles Together, town awards grant.
£12 – Netwise for domain name for new website.
12. Any other business
Dealt with in the meeting.
13 Part 2 – press and public excluded
Two items.
14 Date of next meeting
Tuesday, February 4th, venue to be confirmed, 7 p.m Agenda items to be with The Leader and clerk
by January 27th please. AGM is May 20th.