MORE than 200 jobs are to be created in Darwen after the firm which has taken over much of the council's administrative work agreed to open a new base there.

And bosses at Capita have also revealed it will be increasing the number of staff it has at a benefits call centre in Glenfield Park, Blackburn, from 15 former council staff to nearly 50 employees.

The firm took over much of the administrative work of Blackburn with Darwen Council last summer in a 15 year deal worth more than £200million.

Part of the deal was to bring more than 500 quality jobs to the borough over five years.

Some 500 former council employees also passed over to the private firm.

In December, it announced it had secured a contract from the BBC to deal with TV licences.

Some 230 jobs will be created in the borough as a result of the new contract.

A fortnight ago, the company unveiled plans for a £5million new office block in the centre of Blackburn, which will house 500 staff.

The former council staff are currently based at an office block in Ainsworth Street.

Now a site has been located in Darwen town centre for the firm to expand into, providing a boost for the town. Capita has declined to reveal the location because negotiations are still to be completed.

Terry Boynes, director of the Capita business centre in Blackburn with Darwen, said: "When we signed the contract with the council, we agreed an important part of role was assisting the regeneration of the area.

"That includes Darwen and we see it as an important town for us as we expand in the borough.

"It is a town centre site which will house around 200 of our staff.

"We hope to have it operational by July. It will provide a boost for Darwen because it means there will be more people working in its town centre."

Capita is shortly to begin recruiting for the BBC contract.

Mr Boynes added: "We agreed to bring in 500 jobs over five years and we are already exceeding our targets.

"We have a benefits centre in Glenfield Park, Blackburn, which will shortly be expanded to house more staff.

"That centre will deal with various council's benefits departments."

Last week, the firm and the council admitted the transition of benefits from the authority to Capita had caused a backlog in the payment of benefits.

But both say they are almost on top of the problem.