Town's U-turn over twinning signs (From Wiltshire Times)

Town's U-turn over twinning signs

2:40pm Sunday 5th July 2009

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Councillors in Bradford on Avon are reconsidering their decision to leave the names of their French and German twin towns off welcome signs for the town.

They were blasted by the German Norden Twinning Association and the French Sully-sur-Loire Association for not including the twinning status on the new signs, put up in February.

Councillors responded to the criticism at a meeting on Tuesday with suggestions including reinstating signs and naming streets on the new £35 million Kingston Mill development after the twin towns.

Roger Andrews, a former Bradford mayor and chairman of the German Twinning Association, said: “If no one would have said anything, nothing would have been done about it. I was so pleased that they did come out with such a positive response,” he said. “I think we have made the council realise exactly what twinning is about. They are certainly on a steep learning curve.”

Mr Andrews told the meeting the omission had caused a great deal of upset in Bradford, Norden and Sully, saying: “I am sure that it was not your intention, but to cause such upset and disappointment in three countries at the same time is something you must find very embarrassing.”

Bradford has been twinned with Norden since 1969 and Sully since 1991.

Deputy mayor Simon Fisher said: “I propose we reconsider the decision to take down the signs and that we consider re-erecting some kind of indication at the entrances to the town that Bradford is twinned to Sully and Norden.”

Cllr Vicky Landell-Mills then proposed they form a working group with both twinning groups to discuss what action can be taken, which was voted for unanimously.

Cllr Alison Craddock said: “I think it is actually quite sad that we should do something different to every other town. Wherever you go in France and Germany you can see who they are twinned with.”

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