Falkirk Council: Changing road signs to mark twinning links could cost £200,000

Provost Robert Bissett proposed a motion at Falkirk Council last week, asking for major road signs at the entrances to the district to include information about Falkirk’s ‘twin towns’ of Creteil and Odenwald.

He told members that he felt promoting the links was important as “the benefits of twinning are not just educational and cultural but economic as well”.

But SNP members said that with the new signs costing £8-10,000 each, it would be “morally wrong” to spend the roads budget on this as the council faces a financial crisis.

Provost Bissett said: “I’m sure every member of the council would agree with me that we need to promote Falkirk as ‘the place to be’ – for this we need to be outward looking.”

He added that the twinning arrangements with Creteil and Odenwald were important as they helped acquire knowledge of each other’s way of life and have formed strong cultural links over the years.

The Provost pointed out that both Odenwald and Creteil have twinning signs and they are proud of the links they have with Falkirk.

In the motion, however, the Provost lamented the fact “that there are few if any visible signs of these arrangements”.

He urged members to agree that it would be beneficial to include in the welcoming signs at the main entrance points to the council area by the information that Falkirk is twinned with Creteil and the Odenwald.

The SNP’s Paul Garner, spokesperson for tourism, said he was aware of the importance of the links between Creteil and Odenwald.

But, he added, that given the current financial situation facing the council and the cost of living crisis facing residents “it would be morally wrong to support using the roads maintenance budget for this project”.

“If the figures I have obtained as a guidance are correct it is not a small amount. And with an estimated cost of between £8 and £10,000 per sign, the fact there are up to 20 of these signs and traffic management would also be required in most locations, giving a total of in the region of possibly £200,000.”

While the Provost said he would like the signs to come from existing budgets, Councillor Garner said that this would be impossible as all council services have been asked to save money this year in particular.

He said: “Given this could equate to some 2000 potholes being filled I do not see this as a priority.”

Conservative councillor James Bundy – who said he had been in Creteil recently – confirmed that their signs did display the link with Falkirk and said he thought something similar would boost tourism locally.

However, he queried the fact that Falkirk Council is paying £8000 for a sign and suggested that officers might find something cheaper.

Members of the council agreed to ask for a report from the Director of Place Service on the cost for this and any roads design issues that this proposal raises.