Agenda and minutes

            Resolved – That Councillor Kevin Small be Chair of the Town Twinning Network until December 2013.

(Councillor Small took the Chair.)

The Chair and members of the Town Twinning Network paid tribute to Councillor Dart who died on 5^th October 2012 and acknowledged her commitment to town twinning in and around Swindon.

            Resolved – That Andy Lane be Vice-Chair of the Town Twinning Network until December 2013.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th September 2012.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th September 2012, be confirmed as a correct record.

The Chair asked that the minutes from each meeting of the Town Twinning Network be forwarded on to Full Council in order to raise awareness of twinning activities amongst Councillors.  This request would be forwarded on to the Committee and Member Services Manager.

The Network considered (a) a report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services listing the Town Twinning Associations and Links in and around Swindon and (b) the following verbal reports from those Town Twinning Associations and Links present at the meeting:-

Swindon Ocotal Link

Bruce Clarke reported that this had been their most successful year for fundraising and that the Emmanuel Church had raised over £3K which would be used to support a refuge for abused and expectant women.  The Rotary club had also raised about £2.5K towards a disability centre in Ocotal.  In total, about £5K had been raised to support projects such as an Old People’s home, bursaries, health centre and basic medical support.

Patricio Marin, an artist from Ocotal, had recently visited Swindon to put on an open exhibition at Swindon Artsite.  He also visited three schools and Lydiard Park Academy asked him to supply a mural which bought together the geography of Nicaragua and the history of Swindon.  He also visited the Mayor’s parlour, two other churches and Ken White, a Swindon based muralist.

The next trip to Ocotal would take place in 2014, at a cost of about £1500 for a 2 to 3 week trip.

Swindon Salzgitter Twinning Association

Roger Gower advised that he had contacted the Swindon Advertiser, the Link magazine and U3A to publicise the Association.  An article had appeared in the Link magazine in December which attracted one person to join and a piece produced by U3A resulted in four people making enquiries, although they were not yet members.  He had been unable to make any progress with the Swindon Advertiser and would try and find out why.

The membership was changing slightly and advice was being sought as to how to attract younger members.  Next year’s visit was planned for 29^th May to 5th June and the programme was currently being put together and an application would be submitted to the Council for a Town Twinning grant.

Roger asked for access to the Council’s website in order to publicise the Association and the clerk agreed to find out more information about whether this was possible.

Chattanooga

Andy Lane reported that American twinning was about business rather than developing friendship links and that there was a need to find a link between the two towns.  The Chair advised that he would arrange a meeting between Andy and Forward Swindon who had a responsibility for economic development in Swindon.

Highworth Twinning Association

Derrick Gustafson reported on the following activities:-

·        Fundraising quiz on 15^th February 2013 at the Scout hall.

·        AGM on 15^th March 2013.

·        Europe Day (when Wassenberg will visit Pontorson from 9^th – 12^th May 2013).  It was unlikely that Highworth would visit Pontorson at this time as it was not a school holiday or half-term.  A date for the visit to Pontorson was still under discussion.

·        No date yet arranged for the visit to Wassenberg next year (alternate years).  Wassenberg have been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Cabinet considered the Town Twinning review report on 17^th October 2012 and a copy of the minute from that meeting is attached to this agenda for information.

Members of the Town Twinning Network considered the minute from the Cabinet meeting held on 17^th October 2012 on the review of town twinning.  The Chair advised that he was at the Cabinet meeting and that he had presented the following three challenges to Cabinet Members:

·        The need to show leadership

·        More commitment from senior officers

·        Using Forward Swindon to consider the economic side of twinning.

He added that Cabinet were supportive of the report and the need to raise awareness of twinning activities.  Bruce Clarke suggested that there was a need to move beyond the term ‘twinning’ and that there was a substantial amount of International links being made through schools.  The Chair proposed that an event could be held to which schools would be invited in order to promote twinning further.  It was agreed that Paddy Bradley would be invited to the next meeting to discuss this proposal further.

There was also a need to ensure that the town twinning network meeting dates were put into the diaries of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to encourage their attendance and involvement in twinning activities.

The next meeting of the Town Twinning Network would be held on 27^th February 2013 at 6pm.