Funny how this campaign coincided with the launch of "The Darrener"!!

Yeah, funny that ... Wasn't 'planned' was it? *injoke*

A DARWEN Town Council with power over planning and social services is an idea of fantasy', says MP Janet Anderson.

The For Darwen party told residents during their first public meeting how they planned to bring about a new Darwen Town Council with powers similar to the pre-1974 position when the town council stood alone without Blackburn.

But in a letter, Mrs Anderson wrote: "While I would acknowledge that there is a case for a smaller town or parish council for Darwen, the claim that such a body could revert to the pre-1974 position with similar powers is nothing short of a fantasy."

The For Darwen Party never said they wanted a Darwen town council like the one pre 1974.
They said they wanted a new council that could have more of a say on what happened in Darwen.

Funny that Janet Anderson has about turned on this issue again.

Is she worried that Jake Berry will kick her out of office like the For Darwen Party did to the local labour councillors.

If Labour stoped lying to the people then they would not have to worry.

Darwen people are not that stupid to believe her now.

I believe that for Janet Anderson to keep her parlimentary seat she has had to do a U turn, she knows that she will be outvoted at the next election and Jake Berry would probaly takeover with a large majority, as far as I am aware I agree with Jack Work on, she and the labour councillors on BWD council do not want Darwen to go on their own, it was partly this and a lot of the unrest over the proposed Academy that caused labour to lose control Darwen now only has four labour councillors, Janet will have her work cut out to get more people to vote labour and take back the labour seats lost at the last election.

JH says Janet Anderson will lose her seat. A lot of people said that last time, but she won quite easily with only a very small swing against Labour.

At the last local elections the Tories performed poorly yet again in Darwen (Labour got more votes than the Tories)whilst in Rossendale the Tory performance has recently been appalling, losing by-elections to Labour & the Lib-Dems.

The Tories are in a very sorry state in Rossendale & Darwen. When was the last time they gained a seat from Labour in Darwen ? Can anyone remember ?

The main reason (but not the only one)why Labour lost seats in Darwen was because of the changes in the road system. For Darwen Party didn't tell people in their very expensive and glossy leaflets that this system was brought in by the decisions of the Darwen Town Centre Partnership which included Lib-Dems and now Cllr Melia !! They supported the new system. Then criticised it at the election, promising to change it, but then not doing anything !

They also promised to put the Academy at Moorland. Then three weeks after the local election broke this promise too ! And broke promises about the Leisure Centre.

Labour want a referendum on a Town Council. A Town Council will add around £20 to everyones Council Tax. This will raise around £200,000 in extra spending, a third of which will be spent on salaries / administration. Funny how 'For Darwen' don't tell people this. Lib-Dems are against a Town Council (they want area Councils). The Tories are not sure what they want !

Because of all this I'll be having a bet on Janet Anderson to retain her seat at the next election.

I remember very clearly speaking to two senior For Darwen Party representatives outside my house just before the last local election about what they stood for. They enthusiastically told me that they wanted a new Darwen BOROUGH Council, with complete independence from Blackburn, but now they have backed down (as, it seems, on many other issues) and seem to have settled for a mere town council, going against their election promise.

I also wonder why Janet Anderson and Jack Straw have also both recently jumped in on the act and said patronisingly that they think Darwen 'deserves' its own town council? Could it be because a town council will actually give us nothing?

It is NOT a fantasy for Darwen to have its own independent council restored to it. THAT is what Darwen deserves - not a pat on the head and a longer lead to shut us up. As Jack Work says above, Darreners are not that stupid.

I said it before and I will say it again: The reason Janet Anderson wants a Darwen Council is so that Blackburn will be rid of those "pesky" Darwen Councillors who took the control away from Labour in Blackburn!! Then they will regain control and Janet and Jack will be happy!!

Just in reply to Thomas. A town council will not ''get rid'' of any councillors at all. The Borough Councillors will remain as now. However there will be additional 'town councillors' (probably about 10 - 15 if comparing to other town councils) to look after town council business.

I know, Dave. I was only stirring it!! But what you suggest is that there will be another layer of bureaucracy. Another talking shop - in other words, more delay in decision making which, in spite of what some folk say, IS NOT GOOD FOR DARWEN!!