MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD IN DARWEN HERITAGE CENTRE, ON TUESDAY,
JUNE 3RD, 2025
Present: Couns Hamer (Leader), Brookfield, Taylor, Skipper, Shaw, Smith, Duncan, Westall,
Dobson, Dugan, McCaughran, Gibson and O’Garr.
1.Welcome and introduction:..
.
2. Apologies
None.
3.Declaration of interests :
Couns. Taylor and McCaughran on Derwent Hall.
4 Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising:
These were agreed.
4.1 Toilet facilities in town centre
Coun Duncan had written, as requested to the leader of BWD to express concern over the lack of
public conveniences for visitors to the town to use or when events are on. No response so far.
5. Questions from residents
Mr Tony Foster of Darwen Heritage Centre gave a report on the VE Day celebrations and said the
event had been a great success and thanks were given for the town council funding.
6. Mayor’s update
None.
7. Leader’s report
Coun Hamer had attended the Darwen Deal board meeting and said BWD has approached the
Government to merge the board and the long term plan together. He said there were strict
restrictions over what information could be made public, but good inroads were being made with
projects.
Coun Hamer had also attended the Darwen Heritage Centre meeting and discussed their work and
projects.
8 Darwen Live
It was agreed the event had been a huge success, but there had been teething problems with
security and people bringing food and drinks in from outside the official arena and from suppliers
who are only benefitting from the event, not contributing towards it. Also access problems caused
by the closure of Church Bank Street and several instances of anti social behaviour. It was agreed
to ask that Couns Skipper and O’Garr to be allowed to attend the events advisory group for any
events in the town. Also to ask for a list of expenditure and for the town council to be represented at
any feedback meetings.
9 Correspondence
A report and photographs of benches for Bold Venture Park funded by the town council was
circulated and to be added to the council website.
No response had been received from BWD following concern over the lack of movement on the
traffic light sequence following the death of a pedestrian at a pelican crossing by the post office.
An invitation to become a Community CVS member was declined, but to ask that town council
funding streams are shared via the CVS.
10. Updates
The website has been updated and Coun Skipper and Dugan to have log in details.
The town crier to be invited to all town council events.
Coun O Garr said a request had been made for funding upfront for the summer event by the
organisers. It was agreed to give half before the event to pay for deposits and the remainder after
the event.
Coun Shaw gave details of an application for a new professional cooker for Derwent Hall, a grant of
£1,000 was agreed.
It was agreed that any future applications for funding for the parks friends groups would have to
include the constitution, three month’s minutes of recent meetings and up to date accounts, the
clerk to advise the groups of the rule changes.
11. Finance
Payments:
Residents of Sunnyhurst for a gazebo and walkie talkies – £448.99
Friends of Darwen Cemetry for a granite war memorial, funding also provided by the Lloyds Trust –
£630.
Darwen Brass Band – £1,000 for transport to band competitions..
£910 – R Hay for salary and expenses.
.
£147.50 – Clerk’s pension contribution.
£40 – Vanda’s Florist for tribute to Mr H Blackwell.
12. Any other business
Folllowing the sad death of Mr Harry Blackwell, the town council paid tribute to his hard work for the
community and it was agreed to send a floral tribute to his family and have his name added to the
town’s scroll of honour.
13 Part two
One item.
14 Date of next meeting
Tuesday, July 1st at 7 p.m. Items for the agenda to be with the clerk by June 20th please.