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Darwen Town Council

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Darwen Town Council
Logo
Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded2 April 2009; 15 years ago (2009-04-02)[1]
Leadership
Stephanie Brookfield,
(Labour)
Leader
Jonathan Hamer,
(Labour)
Rebecca Hay,
(non-political post)
Structure
Seats13 councillors
Political groups
  Labour Party: 12 seats
  Conservative Party: 1 seat
Length of term
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
2 May 2024
Next election
TBA
Meeting place
Darwen Town Hall
Website
darwen-council.co.uk

Darwen Town Council is the parish council covering the town of Darwen, England. It serves 27,200 residents.[2] The council has its headquarters at Darwen Town Hall.

History

[edit]

On 16 October 2008 a referendum was held in Darwen on the creation of a town council. Of the 20,495 electors eligible to vote, a total of 4,198 took part in the referendum. The result of the referendum was as follows: 2,378 voted yes, 1,725 (8.42%) voted no, 95 ballot papers were rejected and turnout was 20.49%.[3]

In December, following the referendum Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council approved the creation of the council.[4] the council was created on 2 April 2009 with the first election in June.[1]

Responsibilities

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The town council receives funding by levying a "precept" on the council tax paid by the residents of the civil parish. The council runs events and projects to promote Darwen and also provide funding in the community for projects and parks.

Political control

[edit]
Party in control Years
For Darwen 2009–2012
Labour 2012–2021
No overall control 2021–2024
Labour 2024–present

At the first elections to the council in June 2009, the For Darwen Party took control, winning 7 seats, the Liberal Democrats won 4 and the Conservative Party and Labour Party won one each.[4][5] At the second election in May 2012 For Darwen lost all their seats with Labour taking control with 8 seats to the Lib Dems 5.[4] In the 2016 elections Labour won 7, Lib Dems 4 and Conservatives 2.[6]

In the 6 May 2021 election seats were as follows; 5 Labour, 4, Conservative and 4 Lib Dem.[7]

On the 2 May 2024 elections, Labour took back firm control by winning 12 of the 13 seats with the Conservatives winning the other remaining seat.[8]

Wards and Councillors

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Since 2009, Darwen is served by a Town Council, which since 2018 is divided into 4 Wards, 3 of which are represented by four town councillors and the other by one town councillor.[9]

Current town council
Ward Councillor Party
Darwen East Ward Julie Dugan Labour
Matt Gibson Labour
Martin McCaughran Labour
Mark Westall Labour
Darwen South Ward Liam Dobson Labour
Paul O'Garr Labour
Anthony Shaw Labour
Sue Skipper Labour
Darwen South Rural Ward Steve Duncan Conservative
Darwen West Ward Stephanie Brookfield Labour
Jonathan Hamer Labour
Dave Smith Labour
Brian Taylor Labour

Elections

[edit]
  Labour: 12 seats
  Conservative: 1 seat

2024

[edit]

Darwen East

[edit]
Darwen East (4 councillors)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Martin McCaughran 771
Labour Julie Dugan 719
Labour Matt Gibson 688
Labour Mark Westall 645
Independent Paul Browne 477
Independent Mark Davies 422
Conservative Ryan Slater 302
Spoilt Ballots — 6 — —
Turnout 4,030 20.96
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

Darwen South

[edit]
Darwen South (4 councillors)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anthony Shaw 947
Labour Sue Skipper 883
Labour Liam Dobson 870
Labour Paul O'Garr 862
Conservative Kevin Connor 786
Conservative Neil Slater 753
Conservative Lilian Salton 729
Conservative Joan Hepple 689
Spoilt Ballots — 28 — —
Turnout 6,547 28.58
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Darwen South Rural

[edit]
Darwen South Rural (1 councillor)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Steve Duncan 263
Labour Simon Charlesworth 188
Spoilt Ballots — 13 — —
Turnout 464 31.52
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

Darwen West

[edit]
Darwen West (4 councillors)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Smith 1,212
Labour Brian Taylor 1,212
Labour Stephanie Brookfield 1,029
Labour Jonathan Hamer 984
Conservative Jacqueline Slater 419
Spoilt Ballots — 12 — —
Turnout 4,868 28.50
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
  Labour: 5 seats
  Conservative: 4 seats
  Liberal Democrats: 4 seats

2021

[edit]

Darwen East

[edit]
Darwen East (4 councillors)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Eileen Entwistle 853
Liberal Democrats Roy Davies 838
Liberal Democrats Paul Browne 688
Liberal Democrats Mark Davies 666
Labour Martin McCaughran 663
Labour Liz Johnson 569
Liberal Democrats Simon Huggill 558
Labour Steven Johnson 550
Spoilt Ballots — 44 — —
Turnout 5,524 26.78
Labour win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Darwen South

[edit]
Darwen South (4 councillors)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kevin Connor 1,026
Conservative Neil Slater 1,003
Conservative Lilian Salton 988
Conservative Andrew Walker 975
Labour Sarah Rose 586
Labour Matt Gibson 572
Labour Laura Higab 518
Liberal Democrats Joan Hepple 426
Labour Jude Rowley 404
Spoilt Ballots — 15 — —
Turnout 6,513 31.30
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Darwen South Rural

[edit]
Darwen South Rural (1 councillor)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John East 425
Labour Matt Jackson 94
Spoilt Ballots — 21 — —
Turnout 540 36.50
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Darwen West

[edit]
Darwen West (4 councillors)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Smith 1,171
Labour Brian Taylor 1,113
Labour Stephanie Brookfield 990
Labour Jonathon Hamer 923
Conservative Lynn Perkins 735
Conservative Janine Crook 883
Conservative Rob Toner 669
Conservative Ryan Slater 664
Spoilt Ballots — 18 — —
Turnout 7,166 33.90
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Mayors

[edit]
List of mayors of Darwen
Tenure Name Party Notes
2009–2012 Paul Browne Liberal Democrats [11]
2012–2016 Eileen Entwistle Labour [12]
2016–2017 Brian Taylor Labour [6][13]
2017-2019 Roy Davies Liberal Democrats [14]
2019–2022 Lillian Salton Conservative [14][15]
2022–present Stephanie Brookfield Labour [15]

Leaders

[edit]
List of leaders of Darwen
Tenure Name Party Notes
2009–2010 Phil Jones For Darwen [11]
2010 Trevor Maxfield For Darwen [16]
2010–2012 Steve Duncan Liberal Democrats [17]
2012-2017 Trevor Maxfield Labour [12]
2017–2024 Kevin Conner Conservative [14]
2024–present Jonathan Hamer Labour [18]

References

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  1. ^ a b Pye, Catherine (2 April 2009). "Darwen Town Council formed". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  2. ^ "People". Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  3. ^ Moseley, Tom (16 October 2008). "Darwen says yes to town council". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Clough, Dan (2 January 2013). "Experts reflect on four years of Darwen Town Council". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Darwen town council election results 2009". Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. 2009. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  6. ^ a b Brawn, Stephanie (12 May 2016). "New mayor of Darwen hails 'one of his proudest moments' of his life". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Parish Election Results". 6 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  8. ^ Jacobs, Bill (6 May 2024). "Darwen Town Council: Labour sweep the poll results in election". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Parish and Town Council election results Thursday 2 May". www.blackburn.gov.uk. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. 2 May 2024. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d "Parish election results: 6 May 2021". www.blackburn.gov.uk. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. 6 May 2021. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b Pye, Catherine (23 July 2009). "Row as Paul Browne becomes Darwen mayor". Lancashire Telegraph.
  12. ^ a b Clough, Dan (16 May 2012). "Darwen's new mayor is named". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  13. ^ Athey, Neil (12 May 2017). "New town mayor elected out of 'spite'". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Farnworth, Amy (10 June 2019). "Departing Mayor gifts hundreds to town's primary schools". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  15. ^ a b Jacobs, Bill (30 May 2022). "Who is new mayor of town?". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  16. ^ Moseley, Tom (16 August 2010). "Darwen Town Council leader set to be ousted". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  17. ^ Pye, Catherine (8 August 2011). "Darwen Town Council's leader set to step down". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  18. ^ Jacobs, Bill (20 May 2024). "Darwen's smaller events and parks set to get council boost". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
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