MR John Jacklin of Tockholes (LT, September 5) is absolutely correct in stating that the people of Darwen should receive as much information as possible before voting in the referendum regarding the proposed town (parish) council together with the neighbourhood board in our town.

So what do we know so far?

Firstly, and most importantly, we know that a town council will not replace Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, nor will it have anywhere near the powers or budget of the former Darwen Borough Council.

According to a report to the council’s Executive Board in July, the town council will operate in the same way as the current parish councils in the borough (Tockholes, Yate and Pickup Bank, Pleasington, Livesey, Eccleshill and North Turton) except that the town council has a mayor.

This mayor does not replace the borough mayor, so we will have two mayors, one for Darwen town council and one for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

The precept (additional council tax payable) will initially be about £14 per annum for band D council taxpayers, £8 at band A, rising to £28 for band H.

The budget of the town council will be about £100,000 per annum, however, out of this the town clerk, mayoral and councillor expenses, auditors and accommodation will have to be paid for.

Obviously this would considerably eat into the £100,000.

So if the town council wishes to raise more money for projects etc, it will have to raise the extra council tax paid to above the £14 average.

This precept will only be paid by council taxpayers within the town council boundary, meaning that taxpayers in Darwen will pay more than council taxpayers in Blackburn, just as council taxpayers in the areas with parish councils currently pay more than non parished areas.

There would be 13 elected town (parish) councillors.

These would not replace the borough councillors, but would be in addition to current councillors.

So wards in Darwen would have two or three borough councillors plus two or three town (parish) councillors.

We also know that the coalition running the council wish to exclude Hoddlesden and parts of Fernhurst ward within Darwen from the referendum.

The neighbourhood board will cover the whole of Darwen and Hoddlesden, plus the rural areas of Turton/Tockholes etc.

Its budget will be £50,000 but there not be any additional council tax. Its members will be appointed.

As Mr Jacklin says, the council must make people aware of these facts before they vote in October.

Up to now, much misinformation has been bandied about, such as the proposed town council “would not cost you any additional council tax” (For Darwen party election leaflet 2008) and that it would be like the former Darwen Borough Council.

MR DAVID SMITH, Woodbank Avenue, Darwen.