Content

RESOLVED
 
(1) 
That it be noted the Council was the accountable body for the
Darwen Town Board with responsibility for all secured Government
funding, including the £25m Darwen Town Deal and £19.5m
Darwen Pride in Place Programme.
 
(2) 
That the requirement by Government for the Darwen Town Board to
submit a 10-year Vision, and an indicative Pride in Place 4-Year
Investment Plan, by the deadline of 25th November 2025,
following final sign-off by the Town Board on 20th
November 2025 be noted.
 
(3) 
That it be noted the indicative 4-Year Investment Plan had been
prepared by the Town Board, which included representatives from
local private, public and community organisations (with the Leader
of the Council as Vice Chair) working with many more community and
business stakeholders and had directly engaged with over 1,000
residents in developing the Plan.
 
(4) 
That the Council’s support for the indicative Darwen Pride in
Place 4-Year Investment Plan’s priorities, spend profile, and
vision, as set out in section 3 of the report be confirmed.
 
(5) 
That the Strategic Director for Growth and Development and the
Acting Director of Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the
Council, be authorised to work with Darwen Town Board to finalise
its Pride in Place 4-Year Investment Plan and 10-Year Vision and to
allocate Government funding within the agreed Plan to the
priorities and projects confirmed by the Town Board.
 
(6) 
That the Council’s support for the proposal in the Darwen
Pride in Place 4-Year Investment Plan to establish a Darwen
Community Fund to support the delivery of community initiatives
aligned with the Plan’s priorities be confirmed.
 
(7) 
That the Council’s support to pilot the Darwen Community Fund
proposal, in advance of Government’s confirmation of the
indicative 4-Year Investment Plan, by utilising up to £25,000
of capacity funding to support a small number of early community
projects be noted and confirmed.  The
Board would seek expressions of interest from community
organisations later this year with a view to selected projects
starting in early 2026.
 
(8) 
That the Government’s £1.5m Pride in Place Impact
Funding, be accepted and included within the Council’s
Capital Programme, consistent with the Government’s
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement and guidance, noting
funding was to be allocated by April 2027.
 
(9) 
That the Strategic Director for Growth and Development and the
Acting Director of Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the
Council, be authorised to deploy the Council’s Pride in Place
Impact Funding to support the delivery of high street improvements
and developments in Blackburn Town Centre consistent with the
Government’s MOU and guidance.
 
(10)       
That the Government’s recent announcement of an additional
10-Year £20m Pride in Place Programme for Blackburn, be
welcomed, and it be noted the Council was working with Government
officials to finalise the defined boundary to ensure the target
area fully captured local need and opportunity.
 
(11)       
That it be noted the Government intended to release further
capacity funding to support the development of the new Blackburn
Pride in Place Programme to enable work on developing a 10-Year
Vision and Investment Plan.  Once the
boundary had been agreed with Government, a further report would be
submitted to the Executive Board on the way forward with this
initiative.