WEST Dunbartonshire Council is to scrap plans to have further official twinning links with a city in Poland.

Instead, the council’s cultural committee, chaired by Bailie Denis Agnew, is to press ahead and forge “friendship links” with the city of Gdynia in Poland and Letterkenny in County Donegal, Ireland.

At a meeting on Monday, councillors discussed the matter after it was previously agreed that officers will send a letter of intent to the Polish Consul General providing more information on the West Dunbartonshire area and history and seeking further information on the city of Gdynia as a potential city to form a friendship agreement with.

At its meeting in May, this year, the committee agreed that as a first step, officers would write to those towns identified by the committee – Argenteuil, Beauvoisin, and Zabki Town and Gdansk, both in Poland – in order to establish if they wish to reinstate or develop twinning links with West Dunbartonshire.

George Hawthorn, manager of democratic and registration services within WDC, told councillors: “We have not heard back from either Argenteuil or from Beauvoisin. We met with the Polish Consul and they have asked for a letter of intent.”

Provost William Hendrie said: “With Brexit around the corner its good to tie these things up and keep friends with everybody.”

Bailie Agnew, formally moved a new strategy. He said: “I propose we don’t have a formal town twinning and go for a friendship link. It is less costly and less formal and not so much of a burden. Throughout West Dunbartonshire there is a strong Irish link and I move we form a link with Letterkenny in County Donegal. We also have two big French firms in West Dunbartonshire.

“I have met with the Polish Consul General and the Irish Consul General and they are very keen.

“We never spoke politics, it was all about the educational benefits.”

Councillors were told in a report from officials that the development of town twinning activity could potentially generate some economic benefit to the area through increased tourism.