Darwen residents, businesses and community groups are being asked to help shape how £20m of Government Pride in Place funding is spent over the next decade.
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The Darwen Town Board has launched a new consultation drive, Let’s Talk Darwen, to gather views on the projects, improvements and ideas that matter most locally.
The board says the town has already been through extensive consultation through the Darwen Town Deal and Pride in Place programmes, which helped identify eight priorities: improving the town centre and supporting local businesses; creating a safe, welcoming town centre; providing positive activities for young people; enhancing parks and green spaces; showcasing Darwen through music, arts and culture; supporting charities and community groups; helping manufacturing businesses stay competitive; and removing barriers to skills training and access to jobs.
Darwen was among the first 75 towns in the country selected for the Government’s Pride in Place programme, previously known as the Long-Term Plan for Towns and later the Plan for Neighbourhoods initiative.
While the funding was first announced around 18 months ago, the full programme is due to officially launch this year once the Government has completed its review of the detailed investment plan developed by boards across the country.
In the meantime, a new Darwen Community Fund pilot has launched with £270,000 available for ‘quick win’ projects across the town. The first round will support 12 projects, including Derwent Hall, Darwen Heritage Centre, Sunbird Records, the new Youth Zone, Darwen Cricket Club and Two Gates Bowling Club.
People can have their say through a new online survey with a free prize draw, by speaking to the team at Darwen Live this weekend, and during free half-term activities at Darwen Market from Monday.
Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Vice Chair of the Darwen Town Board, Councillor Phil Riley, said: “We’ve listened really carefully to what the people of Darwen have told us is important to them, captured in the eight priorities that are driving us and the investment plan we have worked so hard on.
“Given that the £20m of Pride in Place funding will be delivered over the next decade, we want to ensure that the dialogue continues and ‘Let’s Talk Darwen’ will be fundamental to that.
“For this first round, we’re focussing on the town centre as that has come out as a top priority for Darreners through our previous rounds of consultations and we want to now develop the detail around how the investment could be spent, building on the Town Deal funding already committed.
“Over the coming week, there’ll be a chance to have your say at the hugely popular Darwen Live, at free half-term activities held in Darwen Market and through a new online survey, and this really is just the start – we are absolutely committed to representing the Darwen community in the very best possible way we can.”
The half-term activities include a paper puppet workshop, a chalk garden, doodle jam and a theatre show called The Jeweller’s Daughter. They are being hosted by Culturapedia, and there will be a chance to ‘Talk Darwen’ at each session.
Interactive consultation posters will also be put up at Darwen Leisure Centre and Darwen Library over the coming weeks.
Councillor Riley added: “Listening to the people of Darwen and what really matters to them around future investment has been the board’s top priority right from the Town Deal being first awarded.
“This Government funding is for the people of Darwen, for the businesses and for the community groups and we are absolutely committed to investing it in what matters most to them and what will have a real impact.
“Let’s Talk Darwen is a fantastic way to continue that, and the Darwen Community Fund is a prime example of the difference having your say can have with 12 Darwen projects already benefitting from £270,000 of valuable funding.”
The consultation has already included public meetings, workshops with older and younger people, a drop-in session at Darwen Market, in-person surveys and online surveys. Representatives have also worked with volunteers, including the friends’ groups for Darwen’s parks.
Andy MacNae, MP for Rossendale and Darwen and a Darwen Town Board member, said: “Pride in Place is a fantastic way to bring pride and opportunity back to our neighbourhoods.
“I’ve had some great conversations with residents who have exciting ideas about how to improve their neighbourhoods and I’m looking forward to seeing what else the people of Darwen can suggest.”
The Let’s Talk Darwen survey is now live and can be found on the Darwen Town Centre website.
