William Morgan

Blackburn with Darwen Council rejected the Ministry of Justice’s attempt to convert a terraced house on Bentham Road into temporary accommodation for up to three former prisoners without a full planning application. The proposed residents would have been subject to a 23:00–06:00 curfew, with people convicted, cautioned or accused of sexual offences excluded. The MoJ would need to submit a full planning application to proceed with the scheme, which aims to support prisoners at risk of homelessness and help them transition to crime-free living.

An independent standards hearing found Hyndburn councillor David Heap breached the council’s code of conduct three times over social media posts and public comments about colleagues. The findings concerned repeated claims that Deputy Leader Melissa Fisher owned multiple HMOs despite her correcting an earlier declaration mistake, statements about public questions at council meetings, and comments about the investigation itself. A complaint over a cartoon was rejected, although the committee called it disrespectful. Heap was asked to apologize and recommended to undertake further training, but refused, saying he was elected to scrutinize those in power.

A new sculpture titled Deeply Regret has been unveiled in Accrington’s Avenue Parade Gardens to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Accrington Pals regiment’s losses at the Battle of the Somme. Hyndburn mayor Noordad Aziz, recently returned from remembrance events in France, opened the transformed garden and highlighted its significance as a place of reflection. Historical accounts from the Royal British Legion note the heavy casualties suffered by the regiment and the broader scale of losses during the Somme offensive.

A 300-year-old former pub, the Blackamoor Inn in Blackburn, is being demolished after years of disuse following its 2019 closure. Purchased by Blackburn with Darwen Council, the building had temporarily housed contractors but is now being cleared for future redevelopment. The demolition will close Stopes Brow from 21 July to 7 August, and the council plans to landscape the site and improve the pedestrian footpath, with potential junction upgrades dependent on future funding.

Potential industrial contaminants including petroleum-based oils, solvents, phenols and pesticides were detected in parts of Brookside Nature Reserve in Oswaldtwistle, prompting warnings for visitors to avoid certain areas and keep dogs out of the water. Hyndburn Borough Council has initiated further testing with Environmental Health officers and consultants RSK Geosciences, with results expected in the autumn. Authorities emphasise that precautions are temporary while investigations continue.