Council explores twinning with Ukrainian town

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council has taken the first step towards twinning with a Ukrainian town.

Councillors have backed plans to explore establishing a formal link with Bucha, a town in the Kyiv Oblast province which was the subject of a bloody occupation by invading Russian troops in 2022.

At a strategy and resources committee meeting earlier this week, a small working group was set up to look into the proposal before a final decision is made.

However, some councillors questioned how much time the project might take up, especially with major local government changes on the horizon.

Others added that the council needed a clearer picture what it is endorsing, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

With no formal decision expected to take place before the working group reports back in the summer, Councillor Kieran Persand feared the twinning opportunity "drifting" as a result.

Councillor Kate Chinn also said previous working groups had displayed a habit of dragging on "forever".

During the meeting, public speaker Lionel Blackman told the committee the borough had already shown "extraordinary generosity and compassion" towards Ukraine.

He pointed out that millions of pounds in aid had been raised locally, with support given to refugee families and community events held celebrating Ukrainian culture.

"This is about friendship: cultural, educational and civic connections," said Blackman.

He added that twinning would be a natural next step in terms of building long-term links, with much of the work handled by the volunteer-led Bucha-Epsom Association, rather than the council itself.

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