DARWEN Town Council has officially been formed - paving the way for a hotly-contested election.

Today Blackburn with Darwen Council signed a legal order to establish the new council, which followed a Yes vote in a referendum last year.

No candidates have yet been registered at Blackburn town hall, but all the main political parties are expected to field a full list of 13.

Sunnyhurst councillor and For Darwen Party leader Tony Melia said: “I think it’s fantastic that’s it’s been established.

“This is something we’ve been campaigning long and hard for.

"I have heard there are lots of people standing, so it will be a heck of a long ballot paper.”

Conservative East Rural councillor Julie Slater said she would not be standing for the town council, but that the Conservative Party would put nominations forward.

She said: “All of my efforts must go into my ward.

“On a personal level I would like it to be non-political, because there is a risk that it could be dominated by one party.

“Also, because we have a Darwen and Rural Neighbourhood Board, there is a chance we could have some duplication.

"If this happens, perhaps it would be an idea to think about making the board just for East Rural.”

She added: “I hope people take the opportunity to vote in the people they really want and the people they think have Darwen at heart, because the post is for four years.”

Lib Dem councillor Simon Huggill said he believed the town council was unneccessary and revealed he would not be standing in the election.

However, he added: “But it’s a reality now so we need to make a go of it.

“The elections are on the same night at the European elections in June, so that may help increase the turnout.”

A town council, which will have low-level local powers and be consulted on planning applications, is expected to cost each resident around £9 a year in council tax for Band A property.

The 13 councillors elected will serve for four years.

People living in Earcroft, Marsh House, Sunnyhurst, Sudell and Whitehall wards will be eligible to vote.

The deadline for registering a candidate is May 7.