Towers, treatment, trouble

DARWEN parish council meet on Tuesday night - I think - to decide how to pursue the Friends of Darwen Tower for having the temerity to flog about 20 models of the Tower which the council had abandoned some five years ago and left to gather dust and grime in the garage of a former councillor. They also flogged another 25 which the FODT's new chairman Harold Heys paid for out of his own pocked. He told me. "Apparently the group had been trying to sort out the bank account for three years. It was time we got a move on. We're non-political. The council should try it." I say Tuesday, but I'm not sure. And neither is anybody else I've spoken to. The item isn't on the council agenda, which seem to be handed out like Platinum credit cards but I'm told it's probably a cunning plot to keep the row under the radar. It will probably be heard in the secretive Part 2 when Press and Public are barred (an occasional Telegraph hack and, say, two or three kids who see this as the height of political sophistication. Bless!). Criticism isn't welcome and always gets short shift.
The FoDT were thinking of paying for another dollop of Towers. And then just the rubbing down, filling, polishing, and painting to do. Harold was bowled over in the initial rush and the models all went inside three hours. But it was a helluva lot of work and the slagging from Roy Davies has zeroed enthusiasm all around. * Walkers had reported that the state of the much-loved 120-year-old Tower was a concern and several local folk and groups immediately offered to help if it became necessary. Money, time, experience and graft were all on the table in just a couple of days. * BwD Council have the final say but they don't have any money or they might have spent a few quid on a few flowers in the local parks. I won't even mention the state of the old cemetery. Perhaps next time. I'm told the last item on tomorrow's meeting is a gathering of The Parks Committee! Might last, what, 20 seconds… * Once the row dies down and the lawyers disappear into their offices the FoDT might find some renewed enthusiasm but it's not looking likely. Harold is laid up with an infection which is rather a worry. He told me: "Some councillors might knock this sorry saga on the head. I really don't care. I've heard nothing officially. DTC don't rate on my list of priorities at present."
Incidentally, the parish council website is still useless. It tells you nothing. Bit like a few of the members who have little or nothing to offer. One or two have too much to say. Remember the For Darwen Party, responsible for kicking it off and then leaving us with an expensive mess we can't escape from? Aye.
Thanks, fellas. HARRY NUTTALL