Town seeks to divorce its 'apathetic' French twin : )
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An Oxfordshire market town wants to break the link with its twin town amid claims that its partner in eastern France has lost interest.


Wallingford is a picturesque town on the River Thames, with a population of about 10,000


When Wallingford and Luxeuil-les-Nains became twin towns 30 years ago, they hoped to form a trans-European bond and share each other's cultures.

Now, Alec Hayton, the mayor of Wallingford, has sought to end the relationship after repeated attempts to contact civic leaders across the Channel fell on deaf ears.

But the Brussels-based Council for European Municipalities and Regions, which co-ordinates the schemes in Europe, has told him it does not have the authority to "de-twin" towns.

Mr Hayton said: "They were not interested in sorting out the problem. They said they did not have the forms and it was not their job to de-twin towns. They did not think anyone had asked that before."

He said school exchanges between the two towns had not taken place for about 15 years. "Last year, I had a long talk with the mayor of Luxeuil and he promised lots of things but nothing has happened," he said.

"We have heard nothing now for about 10 years and we are pretty fed up.

"I would like some contact, even if they say they do not want to be twinned with us any more. We do not know if they are alive or dead."

Mr Hayton said a local football team played a football match in France about four years ago, "but that was about it".

He added: "We have tried to drum up interest with their twinning committee, but it is hopeless.

"The committee in Wallingford consists of me, because all the others have got fed up with the lack of interest. I am very disheartened."

A former mayor of Wallingford, Betty Atkins, visited the French town in 1998.

She said: "I went to celebrate the twinning and the chap who was mayor in Luxeuil was wonderful.

"But he left office and the person who took over was not interested and it died a death. We have made approaches over the years, but nothing has come of it."

The two towns began their "friendship" after French Scouts, stranded in Wallingford town centre, were found by a councillor and directed to a campsite at nearby Crowmarsh.

One of the scouts was the son of the then mayor of Luxeuil, who suggested the twinning.

Councillors have agreed to continue sending the town their monthly Window for Wallingford magazine and a Christmas card for the time being.

Mr Hayton said: "Luxeuil is too far away, it is near the Swiss border.

"English towns want to be twinned with somewhere north of the Loire because it is easier to get to."

Mr Hayton said Wallingford been successfully twinned with the German town Bad-Wurzach since 2000.

Wallingford is a picturesque town on the River Thames, with a population of about 10,000 people.

Luxeuil-les-Bains was established as a thermal town by the Romans and still has an 18th Century spa.

It has a population of about 8,000 people and is near the Swiss border.

The mayor of Luxeuil-les-Bains, Michel Raison, was unavailable for comment.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/5225179/Town-seeks-to-divorce-its-apathetic-French-twin.html

For the French.

And blow the Channel tunnel while you're at it, i'll take the Ferry back home.


Thunder Supports

actualy why dont you take the Eurostar then we can blow the tunnel while you in it then we are all happy





The history of English speaking peoples

And blow the Channel tunnel while you're at it, i'll take the Ferry back home.

Oh, you still here?