Preston’s town twinning partnership is being renewed

Recklinghausen's main hall and Preston Station — Recklinghausen’s main hall and Preston Station

Preston City Council has approved the request made by Preston Twinning Partnership (PTP) to renew the Service Legal Agreement (SLA) with the Council for the delivery of non-civic Town Twinning activities for the year 2022/2023.

Preston recognises the value of international exchange and has links with the following four towns across Europe giving citizens the opportunity to come together with sister cities over a wide range of interests and activities: Almelo, Nimes, Recklinghausen and Kalisz.

Town twinning is a form of legal or social agreement that started in Europe following the Second World War between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of building strong community links, especially for towns that suffered during the wars.

Preston spotted in the South of France Pic: Shireen Bahadur

The agreed report covered that the Executive Member for Resources is recommended to note the work undertaken by the Preston Twinning Partnership during 2021-2022; note the proposed planned activities for 2022-2023; and agree to approve the sum of £3,500 to the Preston Twinning Partnership for 2022-2023 subject to the Council entering into a Service Level Agreement with Preston Twinning Partnership for one year.

A spokesperson for Preston Twinning submitted a letter to the Council stating that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all of their planned activities with the towns were curtailed which was the reason they didn’t apply for an extension for the year 2021/2022.

The PTP plays an important role in promoting and working with all of Preston’s Twin Towns. The arrangements through the SLA, with PTP, allows the continuation of Preston’s Town Twinning activities and events that may not occur via the Council alone due to limited in-house resources. The first SLA was entered into during June 2006 and has continued year on year.

The secretary of Preston Twinning said in the letter: “Our activities are beginning slowly to normalise, but I am not yet able to predict the events Preston Twinning is going to organise and host in this coming year 2022-2023.

“But it is with great pleasure and pride to inform you that we were able to send a Preston Twinning delegate to the Nimes conference on Autism at the beginning of this month to give a well received presentation of her experience on the subject.”

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