Former council leader Sir Bill Taylor has launched his new book which details his public and private life working across the borough.

His book ‘One in a Million’ reveals the challenges he faced and what motivated him to become one of the council’s most well-known personalities and public servants.

Sir Bill Taylor spent 50 years delivering public services across Blackburn with Darwen involving himself in in youth work, training and management and helping the borough during through a decade of regrowth.

During his 25 years as a councillor he was Mayor, council leader and a governor of Blackburn College.

He chaired the local NHS care trust for five years and was chair of Third Sector Lancashire, leading 4,500 voluntary organisations across the county.

He was also agent to former Blackburn MP Jack Straw for 30 years during a turbulent period in British politics.

Sir Bill said: "At any one time across the UK there are over 100,000 elected councillors.

"On average they serve for a little less than 10 years, this means in most of our lives, over 900,000 different folk will act as our local elected members.

“They will spend billions of our money on our behalf. That’s nearly one million people from all kinds of backgrounds, with all kinds of experiences and all kinds of aspirations. 

“As in any human activity there is not one way of doing things, no right way or wrong way, no workshop manual.

"Their story is seldom told. I was one of these elected members for twenty-five years and strived to always do my best and it was completely enjoyable.

"This is my story, the story of one of those elected, just one in a million."

A blurb to the book reads: "What was his investiture at the palace like? What is a royal garden party like? How do you install a new bishop? How do local political parties operate? What is a Constituency Agent? What’s canvassing at election time really about? How do mayors get appointed, and what do they do? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this fascinating inside look at a dedicated councillor's career."

Dates for Sir Bill Taylor's book signings:

  • Thursday, November 23, 5pm, at the Hare & Hounds in Lammack Road, Blackburn.
  • Saturday, December 2, 11am, at Darwen Heritage Centre in Railway Road, Darwen.
  • Thursday, December 7, 12.30pm and 2pm, at Blackburn Central Library.

Further dates are yet to be confirmed for Blackburn Golf Club and at Bangor Street Community Centre.

The cover price of the 600 page book, which also features 65 illustrations, is £22 with an additional voluntary donation of £3 to Save the Children and the local hospice.

It will be available to buy from Tuesday, November 28.