Published Monday 27 April 2026 at 11:23
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s longest-serving employee is set to retire today after almost 55 years of loyal service.
When Val Ormerod left St Monica’s School for Girls in the summer of 1971, she knew exactly what she wanted to do – she wanted to work for the Council.
Following in her dad, Kenneth Clarke’s, footsteps, she walked into the Old Town Hall on King William Street and asked for a job and she was immediately hired to work in the Finance Department.
She was told then that a ‘job at the Council was a job for life’ – something that has very much turned out to be the case for Val, who is now looking forward to a busy retirement.
Back when Val joined what was then the County Borough of Blackburn, she had only a telephone on her desk, and the computers were so big they reached up to the ceiling and needed their own suite.
Val would enter computer programs onto punch tapes to pay staff wages and if she needed any notes typing she would read them into the phone to be recorded for the typing pool – a busy department of typists.
She quickly progressed to the Town Clerk’s Department, based in Blackburn’s Tower Block, before moving over to become a Licensing Clerk and then a Land Charges Officer, the job she will officially retire from today (Monday, April 27th).
Part of the Planning Team, Val and her colleagues have been awarded a Gold Standard for exceptional land charges services – which is officially recognised as one of the best in the whole country.
Reminiscing, Val, who lives in Cherry Tree, Blackburn, said:
I walked straight out of school at 16 and straight into the Town Hall and told them I wanted to work for the Council.
It was much simpler in those days, and there was never any talk of going off to college or university.
I joined the Finance Team and would use a computer program to add staff wages to punch tapes, and we could read all the dots that would be printed out.
It was a far cry from today. I had just a telephone on my desk, and the computers we did have stretched from floor to ceiling.
We also had a trolley service twice a day bringing us drinks and snacks and people would smoke at their desks and go to the pub at lunch. We even had our own club on Lord Street West – the NALGO Club, we had some happy times there.
She said that when she applied for her role in the Town Clerk’s Department, she was called across the link bridge to the Tower Block and interviewed. When she made it back to her desk, they rang her to tell her she’d got the job.
She still has the appointment letter, which sets out her wages as £837 per annum.
Of her long service, she said:
I knew I wanted to work for the Council, just like my dad did.
I’ve always been incredibly lucky with the people I’ve worked with, and I’ve enjoyed the jobs I’ve done. I’ve always been happy to come to work.
I won’t miss working as I have so much to fill my days, but I will miss the people.
Val, who was told she’d be able to retire at 51 when she first joined, has reduced her hours in recent years and says every day is busy – whether it be walking, gym classes, gardening, or spending time with her daughter, grandchildren, and friends.
One of those friends, Tricia, started at the Council on the very same day as Val – September 13 1971 – and they still see each other every week.
Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Denise Park, congratulated Val on her exemplary long service and retirement.
She said:
What a remarkable achievement to have clocked up almost 55 years of long and dedicated service to the Council and to our borough and residents.
Val is a much-loved and highly regarded member of our Planning Team, and her skills and experience have helped our Land Charges Service become one of the very best in the country.
I know Val’s colleagues right across the Council will join me in wishing her a very happy and much-deserved retirement.
Val, you will be missed – thank you for all you have done.
Val is pictured centre with her friends from the Council’s Growth and Development Team.