Blackburn with Darwen is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Lancashire, North West England. The borough includes the towns of Blackburn and Darwen plus a wider rural area which includes the villages of Lower Darwen, Feniscowles, Brownhill and Hoddlesden.
Formation It was founded in 1974 as the Lancashire borough of Blackburn, from the County Borough of Blackburn, the Municipal Borough of Darwen, the parish of North Turton from Turton Urban District (chiefly the villages of Belmont, Chapeltown and Edgworth) and parts of Blackburn Rural District. It was renamed in May 1997, in preparation for a split from Lancashire County Council. On 1 April 1998 it became a unitary authority.
Demographics
Ethnicity +Ethnicity of school pupilsEthnic groupSchool year2021/2022Number%White: Total12,91146.1White: British11,87642.4White: Irish280.1White: Traveller of Irish heritage250.1White: Gypsy/Roma210.1White: Other9613.4Asian / Asian British: Total12,83545.8Asian / Asian British: Indian4,59216.4Asian / Asian British: Pakistani7,28226.0Asian / Asian British: Bangladeshi2901.0Asian / Asian British: Chinese710.3Asian / Asian British: Other Asians6002.1Black / Black British: Total3441.2Black: Caribbean130.0Black: African2741.0Black: Other Blacks570.2Mixed / British Mixed1,1294Other: Total4741.7Unclassified2901.0Total:27,983100.0
Religion According to the 2021 census, 38.0% of the population was Christian, 35.0% Muslim, 0.3% Hindu, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.4% followed another religions (including Judaism, Sikhism and others), 21.1% were not affiliated to a religion and 5.0% did not state their religious views.
Governance
The council is based at Blackburn Town Hall on King William Street in the centre of Blackburn. As a unitary authority, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council provides most local government services. Parts of the borough are covered by civil parishes, which provide a lower tier of local government.
Economy This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Blackburn with Darwen at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. Year Regional Gross Value Added Agriculture Industry Services 1995 1,496 3 755 737 2000 1,597 3 678 916 2003 1,785 4 647 1,134
Settlements
Civil parishes
Darwen (town council) Eccleshill Livesey North Turton Pleasington Tockholes Yate and Pickup Bank The town of Blackburn and the village of Hoddlesden lie in unparished areas.
Education
As a unitary authority, Blackburn with Darwen authority has a statutory responsibility for educational standards and schooling within its boundaries.
Transport
Blackburn with Darwen Council has a stated transport policy of "making roads traffic free".
Freedom of the Borough The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen.
Individuals Barbara Castle: 23 November 1979. Sir Charles Fletcher-Cooke: 23 November 1979. Tom Taylor, Baron Taylor of Blackburn: 2 April 1992. Jack Straw: 1 October 2015.
Military Units The East Lancashire Regiment: 5 February 1948. The Lancashire Regiment: 6 November 1958. The Queen's Lancashire Regiment: 25 March 1970. The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment: 1 July 2006.
See also Blackburn with Darwen Teaching Primary Care Trust
Notes
References
External links Blackburn with Darwen council news Blackburn Muslim Association : Serving the community
Council political parties Blackburn Conservative Association For Darwen Party Blackburn Labour Party Blackburn with Darwen Liberal Democrats