COUNCIL meetings could return to Darwen Town Hall after 35 years – even if taxpayers have to pay twice.

Plans are afoot to hold meetings of the new town council at the town hall in an empty upstairs room, where tables and chairs carrying the old Darwen council emblems have been gather-ing dust since the local government shakeup in 1974.

The first meeting, earlier this month, was held at Darwen Library Theatre, and there have been calls for the council to hold meetings at different venues around the town.

It was decided that Couns Brenda Cronshaw and John East would investigate the possibility and costs of meeting rooms within their wards – Sunnyhurst and Whitehall.

They want to see efficient use of the council’s small funds of £100,000 and for people to have easy access to local politics in their wards.

Blackburn with Darwen Council, which owns the town hall, is likely to charge the town council to use the building, which also hosts borough council staff and police.

This would mean Darwen residents would pay for both maintenance and rent of the building in their town and borough council tax bills.

But For Darwen Party leader Tony Melia, who led the campaign to form the town council, said: “The town hall is what we are pushing for. I have asked what they will charge and they are coming back to us.”

Lib Dem councillor Paul Browne, who is poised to become the town’s mayor, said he was “definitely” in favour of the move to the town hall.

He said: “We do not want a road show.

“We still have the old red Darwen Borough tables and chairs from the old borough council, and I would be proud to get them out again.

“I daresay there will be a charge, but it will be a minimum charge.”

Labour councillor Dave Smith said: “I’m easy anyway to be honest.”