The Blackburn with Darwen Council's Executive Board met on 11 September 2025, and among the topics discussed were the council's annual review of companies, and the vehicle replacement programme. The board approved recommendations for both of these topics. They also discussed the Corporate Plan Performance for Quarter 1 of 2025/26, social care reforms, the Highways Winter Service Policy, and considered petitions for a safe crossing point and resident parking.

Council Fleet Vehicle Replacement Programme 2025/28

The Executive Board granted delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Finance and Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment and Communities, to procure vehicles detailed in the report. This will utilise the £1.7 million earmarked in the 2023/2026 capital programme for vehicle replacement.

The council's vehicle replacement programme highlighted the need to replace several vehicles in the council's fleet to reduce the financial impact of increased maintenance costs, vehicle hire costs and poor fuel efficiency due to the age of the vehicles. Vehicle failures can also affect the delivery of key services and damage the council's reputation. The report also stated that vehicle replacement will help the council achieve its emission targets by purchasing new vehicles that run on alternative fuels.

The council's Fleet Transport Manager is constantly reviewing options for alternative fuel usage and is seeking to switch the fleet from diesel to alternative fuels where possible, while considering the charging facilities which also need to be available. The report noted that it is more cost-effective to convert the smaller vehicles to electric, with 15 electric vehicles now in the fleet. The larger vehicles still use diesel, although any new diesel vehicles are Euro 6 standard, the latest standard available to meet the emissions requirements.

The report detailed the vehicles that needed replacing:

• Refuse and recycling service
• Street cleansing
• Highways Client
• Highways Operations
• Amenities
• Street lighting
• Environmental crime
• MVSS
• Culture and Leisure

Annual Report on Companies 2024/25

The Executive Board resolved to note the council's interest in various companies as set out in the report.

The report set out details of all the companies that Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has a financial interest in. The report was provided so that the Executive Board could discharge its responsibility of providing effective oversight of its investments, minimise risk and support the companies to achieve their outcomes.

The council has a financial interest in the following companies:

• Barnfield Blackburn Ltd
• Blackburn with Darwen Developments Ltd (formerly known as Maple Grove Blackburn Ltd)
• Growth Lancashire Ltd

The most significant change in the council's interest in companies during the year was the acquisition of Maple Grove's shareholding in Maple Grove Blackburn Ltd, giving the council 100% ownership of the company. As a consequence, the company was renamed Blackburn with Darwen Developments Ltd.

The only other matter to report related to the council's interest in the UK Municipal Bonds Agency (UK MBA). The council owns 50,000 'B' shares (0.75% of the 'B' shares issued) in the company which have a nominal value of £500. The UK MBA has had less success in securing the demand for issuing bonds that was originally anticipated when it was established. As a consequence, unless demand increases, the company has given notice of its intention to enter a 'reduced trading' state.

Corporate Plan Performance Quarter 1 2025/26

The Executive Board reviewed the Corporate Plan Performance for Quarter 1 of 2025/26, noting the performance against the delivery of the council's Corporate Plan Missions, as detailed in Appendix 1 Corporate Plan Performance Quarter 1 202526, and the improvement actions being taken where performance does not meet expectations, as outlined in Appendix 2 Corporate Plan Performance Quarter 1 202526.

Of the 44 Key Performance Indicators at the end of Quarter 1 (30th June 2025):

• 21 measures were rated Green (on or above target)
• 10 measures were rated Amber (not currently on target)
• 4 measures were rated Red (significantly below target)
• 9 measures could not be assessed this quarter

Appendix 2 Corporate Plan Performance Quarter 1 202526 included exception reports for 4 performance measures which have been rated as Red:

• Rate of repeat domestic abuse
• Increase the number of Care Act Carer Assessments completed
• Percentage of Safeguarding Adult enquiries triaged within 1 day
• Net total of new foster carers to look after our own children (to include, recruited or approved along with those who have resigned)

Highways Winter Service Policy

The Executive Board approved the revised Highways Winter Service Policy and authorised its publication on the council's website. The updates to the policy bring the Winter Maintenance Service in line with the government's Well Maintained Highways Code of Practice – Appendix H Winter Service Practical Guidance.

The review process is based on the requirement to deliver an efficient and resilient winter maintenance service for the residents of Blackburn with Darwen and the commuting public. The review ensures any lessons learned, best practice or innovations are continually integrated into this area of service delivery so the council can remain current, resilient, effective and targeted in its approach.

To ensure conformity with the latest best practice guidance, the policy needed to be updated, accordingly:

• Training of all staff, drivers, supervisors and decision-makers, working within the Winter Maintenance Service.
• Gritting route hierarchy amendments to ensure public transport routes are gritted.
• Clarity on when and where footway gritting will take place.

Social Care Reforms - Children's Services

The Executive Board noted the timeline for the implementation of the reforms and the practice changes required both locally and nationally as part of the reforms. They also noted that the proposed changes to the staffing structure can be managed within the existing financial resources of the Portfolio.

The reforms to children's social care began in 2023 under the then government's Stable homes, built on love strategy¹. The children's social care reforms in the UK are driven by the need to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families. The Independent Review of Children's Social Care (2022) and the national review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo Hughes and Star Hobson highlighted systemic issues such as fragmented support, inconsistent practice, and insufficient focus on family and community-based solutions. The reforms aim to create a more coherent, compassionate, and effective system that prioritises early intervention, family support, and long-term relationships for children in care. There is also focus on multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, information sharing and effective partnership working as key enablers for safeguarding children.

Petitions

The Executive Board rejected a request to install a safe crossing point on Preston New Road junction with Crosshill Road, Blackburn. Following a feasibility study, two surveys were undertaken to establish the level of need for a safe crossing point in this area. Overall, the survey results showed that whilst there were some pedestrians crossing in the vicinity of Lancaster Place, most pedestrians were crossing at the junction of Birch Hall Avenue. This suggested that the site did not warrant or require an additional pedestrian crossing to be introduced. Councillors requested officers explore alternative options such as working with road safety officers or with the school to ensure safety was prioritised.

The Executive Board also rejected a request to introduce residents parking on Dalton Close, Blackburn. Councils do not have a statutory obligation to implement residents' parking schemes; however, schemes could be considered in exceptional circumstances. The criteria for the implementation of such a scheme were set out in the report and it was reported that Dalton Close did not meet the criteria as most properties on this road had off-street parking facilities, some of which were able to accommodate multiple vehicles.