County seeks to forge global links with twin towns

1 hour ago

Dan HallNorth East and Cumbria

News image — Bishop Auckland is once again linked with Ivry-Sur-Seine

BBC/Duncan Leatherdale Bishop Auckland Town Hall, a Gothic Revival Style building. There are three large concrete balls on the ground outside. The building is reflected in a puddle outside and the sky is grey. There is a church to the right of the Town Hall and red-brick houses on the left. — Bishop Auckland is once again linked with Ivry-Sur-Seine

Two town-twinning links have been approved by a council and a third could soon follow.

Durham County Council approved the reinstatement of a relationship between Bishop Auckland and Ivry-sur-Seine, on the outskirts of Paris, France, and a new link between County Durham with Castiglione dei Pepoli, in Emilia Romagna, Italy.

The local authority's Reform UK administration said despite its stance on the European Union (EU), it wanted to build ties with communities on the continent.

Deputy leader Darren Grimes said: "Being against the EU has never meant being against Europe - Brexit was about democracy and taking back control from Brussels, not cutting ties with our friends across the Channel."

He said: "These are links between communities, built on shared history, culture and heritage, with no Brussels middleman in sight."

Down under?

Bishop Auckland and Ivry-sur-Seine were first linked in 1962 but the agreement lapsed in 2002.

The relationship was proposed for reinstatement following "renewed interest from the French municipality", the council said.

The council said twinning the two following Bishop Auckland's "significant regeneration and cultural investment" could help strengthen the town's international profile.

The link between County Durham and Castiglione dei Pepoli, which is about (31 miles (50km) south of Bologna, was proposed by the Italian town.

Durham County Council said initial discussions had identified opportunities for collaboration in culture, heritage and tourism.

An arrangement with Tauranga, New Zealand, which has links with the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) is also being discussed.

Global links

Karen Allison, the local authority's cabinet member for tourism, said: "It is testament to County Durham's global standing that communities across the globe – in France, Italy and the other side of the world in New Zealand – have approached us about forging links."

The council also has international partnerships with Kreis Weisel and Tübingen in Germany, Banská Bystrica in Slovakia, Alcalá de Guadaíra in Spain and Durham in North Carolina, USA.

A 44-year partnership with Kostroma, Russia, was formally ended in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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