Town may look for a twin

From the The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, first published Monday 23rd Oct 2006.

Town councillors are thinking of extending Marlborough's famed entente cordiale to a French community.

Marlborough, described two years ago in a national poll as the most generous town in England, is thinking of twinning.

The idea has been discussed many times before but Marlborough remains one of the few communities with no official twin town.

One of the major fears that twinning would be junket for the bourgeoisie has been expressed again.

Marlborough's most senior councillor Stewart Dobson said there was a perception that twinning would result in "a beanfeast" for just a select few people and not the whole community.

The issue was raised with the receipt of a letter from an Englishman Eric Hale-Woods who lives in the town of Poligny in the Jura region of eastern France.

He wrote to the town council saying Poligny was looking to twin with an English country town of about the same siz4.

"I believe that Marlborough would constitute a most attractive twin partner," he wrote.

Coun Dobson said: "This would be twinning the same as every other town in this country.

"We already have a very special arrangement with Gunjur which is not shared by any other town."

He was referring to Marlborough's 25 year old link with Gunjur in The Gambia in West Africa.

Coun Nick Fogg said the idea should not be turned down without consideration. "This is a warm approach and therefore we should send a warm answer," he said.

In his letter Mr Hale-Woods said Poligny was the principal centre for the production of Comte cheese and had fine vineyards close to those in burgundy.

Coun Fogg, a noted bon viveur, said: "Wine and cheesevery tempting."

Coun David Parker said he knew from his experience as a former Kennet councillor the advantages of twinning.

"It is not just a junket," said Coun Parker adding that twinning brought about an exchange of cultural and educational ideas.

Coun Richard Allen said he believed Marlborough should look to twin with a community with real community and social problems that it could help.

It was agreed to set up a small committee to consider the letter from Poligny and consider whether Marlborough wants to twin.

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