Blackburn with Darwen


Blackburn with Darwen is a unitary authority area in Lancashire, North West England. It consists of the town of Blackburn and the market town of Darwen including other villages around the two towns. The population of the Unitary Authority taken at the 2011 census was 147,489.

Formation

It was founded in 1974 as the Lancashire borough of Blackburn, from the County Borough of Blackburn, the Borough of Darwen, parts of Turton Urban District 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

According to the 2017 census, the proportion of Muslims is 30.9%. 20.4% of the district's population belongs to any South Asian ethnic group, making it the highest percentage in the region, and almost four times higher than national average of South Asians.

Local elections

Following boundary changes in 2018, there are currently 51 seats on the council, with the borough divided into 17 wards. The wards are: Audley and Queens Park, Bastwell and Daisyfield, Billinge and Beardwood, Blackburn Central, Blackburn South and Lower Darwen, Blackburn South East, Darwen East, Darwen South, Darwen West, Ewood, Little Harwood with Whitebirk, Livesey with Pleasington, Mill Hill and Moorgate, Roe Lee, Shear Brow and Corporation Park, Wensley Fold, and West Pennine.

Local elections

!colspan=2|Parties
!Seats
!colspan=2|Total!!51

Economy

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Blackburn with Darwen at current basic prices by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
YearRegional Gross Value AddedAgricultureIndustryServices
19951,4963755737
20001,5973678916
20031,78546471,134

Neighbouring districts and political control

The authority borders with boroughs administered as within the Greater Manchester and Lancashire upper-tier local authorities: Chorley in the west and then South Ribble, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and Rossendale in Lancashire; Bury and Bolton in Greater Manchester. The data below is based in June 2012.

Settlements

Civil parishes

  1. Darwen
  2. Eccleshill
  3. Livesey
  4. North Turton
  5. Pleasington
  6. Tockholes
  7. Yate and Pickup Bank

    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".

Council political parties

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