| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| TWC 12/013 |
Declarations of interest. |
There were no declarations of interest made. |
| TWC 12/014 |
Appointment of Chairman |
RESOLVED: That Mr M Dobson be appointed as Chairman of the Twinning Committee for the current municipal year. |
| TWC 12/015 |
Appointment of Vice-Chairmen |
RESOLVED: That Councillor J Balcombe and Mr D Still be appointed as Vice-Chairmen of the Twinning Committee for the current municipal year. |
| TWC 12/016 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Twinning Committee held on 22 March 2012 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the amendment of Minute TWC 12/007 to refer to the Tonbridge Arts Festival in October 2010 not 2012. |
| TWC 12/017 |
Secretary's Report (1) Heusenstamm (2) Le Puy (3) New Twinning Partner |
The Secretary's report referred to the sad news of the deaths of Enno Buss, former Chairman of the Freundschaftskreis in Heusenstamm and of Adolf Kessler, who, as Bürgermeister, had been instrumental in setting up the twinning link between Tonbridge and Heusenstamm. The report set out details of the celebrations held in June 2012 to mark the 40th year of the exchange between the Adolf-Reichwein Gymnasium in Heusenstamm with The Judd School in Tonbridge. The Chairman advised that there was an exchange between the Lycée Charles et Adrian in Le Puy and The Judd School in Tonbridge on alternate years and that this was the main activity relating to the Council's link with Le Puy. The Chairman welcomed Mr Haycock, Chairman of the East Peckham Twinning Association and Mr Street, Chairman of East Peckham Parish Council, congratulating them on the formalisation of the twinning arrangements between East Peckham and Chéreng. He presented Mr Street with certificates, one for East Peckham and one for Chéreng, to commemorate the Twinning Agreement signed on 4 June 2012 in East Peckham and on 16 September 2012 in Chéreng. |
| TWC 12/018 |
Report of Tonbridge French Circle |
On behalf of Mr Buck, Ms Levett provided a report of the Circle's recent and forthcoming activities and events. She explained that the Tonbridge Friendship Circle's links with Le Puy were not as strong as in the past and that the Circle had developed a friendship link with La Rochelle and had visited other towns in France, among them Anger. |
| TWC 12/019 |
Report of Heusenstamm Friendship Circle |
The July 2012 and October 2012 editions of Nachrichten were attached to the agenda. Mr Packer reported that he had attended Enno Buss' funeral in May 2012, Herr Buss having been Chairman of the Freundschaftskreis in Heusenstamm for 14 years. On a happier note, Mr Packer reported that Eileen Best, Secretary to the Heusenstamm Friendship Circle, had attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May 2012, in recognition of her unstinting work in various areas of Tonbridge life over many years. Mr Packer referred to the 40th Anniversary of the school exchanges and said how supportive the Head of Judd had been. He reminded the Committee that these exchanges had included boys from the Judd School, girls from Tonbridge Grammar School and boys and girls from the Gymnasium in Heusenstamm and advised that, as Tonbridge Grammar School no longer taught German, no girls from Tonbridge participated and all communication with Tonbridge Grammar School had ceased. There was, therefore, a lack of opportunity for work experience for girls from Heusenstamm. He also advised that the Hayesbrook School, which had started an exchange with the Real Schule in 2011, had also ceased to teach German. Mr Brooks-Johnson pointed out that German was taught at the Weald of Kent Grammar School and, whilst they currently had an exchange arranged with Bonn, it may be worth investigating the possibility of including the Weald of Kent Grammar School in future exchanges with Heusenstamm. Mr Packer reported that a boys choir from Wuppertal, twinned with Sevenoaks, gave a concert at St Nicolas' church in October and that Sevenoaks Twinning Association had asked the Friendship Circle for their assistance in accommodating the 65 boys. This had resulted in a useful link between the two associations. He advised that the Lydian Orchestra would be playing several concerts in Germany in 2013, one of which would be in Heusenstamm. Mr Packer explained that he was hoping to establish a link between the Tonbridge and Malling Youth Forum and a similar organisation in Heusenstamm and that had been in touch with the relevant officers at the Borough Council. Looking forward to 2013, Mr Packer reported that in June there would be the triennial concert by the Tonbridge Philharmonic and the Kantorei. He advised that he wished to arrange a special day trip for the visiting singers from Heusenstamm and hoped that funding would be available from the Community Enhancement Fund. Mr Packer indicated that would be a coach trip to East Anglia for members of the Heusenstamm Friendship Circle along with members of the Freundschaftskreis in Heusenstamm in 2014 to mark the 30th Anniversary of twinning with Heusenstamm. Mr Packer ended by saying that he intended to get as much free publicity as possible to raise awareness of the Friendship Circle's activities and that, as well as an article about the 40th Anniversary of the school exchanges in the Index magazine, he had been successful in getting free publicity in the Tonbridge Resident's' booklet as well as the monthly publication, Town Crier. |
| TWC 12/020 |
Report of Malling/Auchel Association |
In the absence of Mr Bisson no report was submitted but it was noted that, in submitting his apologies, Mr Bisson had advised that he hoped to report more fully at the next meeting. |
| TWC 12/021 |
Report of Snodland/Moyeuvre Grand Twinning Association |
In the absence of Mr Hickmott, no report was submitted. |
| TWC 12/022 |
Report of Burham/L'Epine Twinning Association |
In the absence of Mr Young no report was submitted but it was noted that, in submitting his apologies, Mr Young had advised that this association ‘remained dormant'. |
| TWC 12/023 |
Report of Ditton Twinning Association |
Although Mr Atkinson was unable to attend and had submitted his apologies, he provided a written report, which is attached to these minutes. |
| TWC 12/024 |
Report of East Peckham Twinning Association |
Mr Haycock explained how the twinning between East Peckham and Chéreng had come about and advised that Chéreng was also twinned with a fishing village in Belgium. He advised that, in November 2012, a joint concert of the East Peckham Silver Band and Chéreng Harmonie had been held in East Peckham. It was noted that residents from East Peckham would be attending the Carnival in Chéreng in March 2013 and it was anticipated that this would need two coaches given the residents' interest in the event. The possibility of organising a French Market in East Peckham was raised. Mr Haycock also considered the possibility of school exchanges, although he reported that the Mairie in Chéreng could only focus on an exchange with the state school. |
| TWC 12/025 |
Any Other Business |
With reference to school exchanges, Mr Brooks-Johnson reflected that there was pressure for schools to move away from teaching German to teaching Spanish. Mr Brooks-Johnson expressed his concern regarding media coverage on Europe and stated that young people were key to establishing good relations with the twin towns. Ms Levett informed the Committee that, as part of the Cultural Olympiad, 500 quilts were needed to allow each team attending the 2012 Olympics to be presented with a quilt. Ms Levett, who works with a group of 30 people in East Malling, was pleased to report that the group had made two quilts, one of which had been presented to the German Olympic Team. |
| MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION IN PRIVATE | ||
| TWC 12/026 |
Exclusion of Press and Public |
No matters were considered in private. |