Brentwood council pledges to twin with a Ukrainian town
They want to show their desire to help the people of the town to rebuild structurally and economically
Last updated 15th Dec 2022
Brentwood Borough Council has pledged to forge economic and cultural ties with a Ukrainian town once the war in the country has finished.
It means the borough council wants to ultimately link up with a own of comparable size In order to “undertake cultural and economic exchanges, explore business opportunities and demonstrate a general desire to help the people of that district or town”.
The pledge stems from a motion unanimously adopted by the council last week that states: “This council resolves to investigate the possibility of twinning with a town of comparable size in Ukraine once the current war in that country has been resolved and Ukraine is a free nation, once more.
“The aim would be to undertake cultural and economic exchanges, explore business opportunities and demonstrate a general desire to help the people of that district/town to rebuild structurally and economically for their future.”
It would add to existing town friendship links between communities in Ukraine and the UK – Rochdale is twinned with Lviv, Barnsley is twinned with Gorlovka, Sheffield is a twin town with Donetsk and Edinburgh is twinned with capital of Ukraine, Kyiv.
Councillor David Kendall (Lib Dem, Pilgrims Hatch) said: “I think if we make a general commitment that we want to link up with a town when the time is right, and hopefully that will be when the Russians are no longer in that country, I think it will be a very positive thing.
“And I think if people in our community can actually see practical things that we’re able to do to help these people in a specific town as I say it will bring the thing to life. It will make sure that there’s continued ongoing commitment.”
Leader of Brentwood Borough Council, Councillor Chris Hossack, said: “We all accept that by and large Ukrainian towns are somewhat preoccupied at the moment.
“But at the appropriate time then definitely we should do it. But I don’t think that prevents us right now from reaching out to our Ukrainian community in Brentwood saying we’d like to do it, if you wanted to nominate something that was appropriate, I have no issue with it at all.”