Darwen's new mayor is named (From Blackburn Citizen)

Darwen's new mayor is named

11:25am Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Darwen By Dan Clough , Reporter

LONG-serving Darwen councillor Eileen Entwistle has spoken of her pride after being named the town council’s new mayor.

The Sudell representative was voted in as the new mayor at last night’s first meeting of the council since the local elections earlier this month.

Coun Entwistle will be assisted in running the council by Coun Trevor Maxfield, who was voted in as deputy chairman.

Coun Entwistle, who lives in Almond Street, has represented the Sudell area of the town for 26 years, including on Lancashire County Council until 1998.

She said: “It is an honour to be elected and I will try to do the best I can for the town and to promote the town as well as possible. I will go where the people want me to go and I hope to get to all the things mayors are expected to.”

This is Coun Entwistle’s first time as a town councillor, having not been elected to the initial town council in 2009.

She said: “It is a lot different to the borough and I don’t know the set-up. It is completely unknown territory for me.

"But I was born in Darwen and have never lived anywhere else, or wanted to live anywhere else, so to be mayor of Darwen is a real honour.”

Coun Entwistle was mayor of Blackburn with Darwen in 1992 and 1993 and before she retired worked at India Mill, Crown Wallcoverings and Crown Paints.

Of his new position, Coun Maxfield, who represents Earcroft, said: “It is an honour and I am quite looking forward to it. Steve Duncan, the previous deputy chairman, did a good job and these are interesting times.

“The town council does a lot of good little things around the town so I am pleased to be part of it.”

The elections on May 3 saw big changes on the town council where Labour took control, gaining six seats, while the For Darwen Party and Conservatives were left with no representation.

The council is now made up of eight Labour councillors and five Liberal Democrats.