CRITICISM of Bristol City Council's plan to axe funding for a twinning organisation has spread across continents.

The authority wants to cut funding for the Bristol International Twinning Association (BITA) in half this year and scrap it next year.

The proposal has not proved popular with the Bristol ends of the seven twinning organisations the group supports.

And now the backlash has spread overseas, even as far as Nicaragua.

John Perry said: "I write from Nicaragua where there are several towns and cities with links to places in Britain, including Bristol's twinning link with Puerto Morazan.

"In an increasingly global environment, we should treasure these links and try to build on them.

"Very often – as in Bristol's case – the amount of money involved is a tiny proportion of the council's budget. But in twinning work, small amounts of money can help bring in other funding, and in the end they go a long way.

Bristol is twinned with seven towns and cities; Bordeaux in France; Hannover in Germany; Oporto in Portugal; Tbilisi in Georgia; Puerto Morazan in Nicaragua; Beira in Mozambique; Guangzhou in China.

Although part of the authority's £70-million, four-year savings plan, the BITA cut will only save a modest amount of money; £3,500 a year.

The council has received more than 30 letters from far and wide calling for a rethink.

Dr Ed Brown, from the Centre for Research in Identity, Governance, Society at Loughborough University, said: "City to city twinnings can provide much of value for local taxpayers and frequently generate far larger in-flows of resources than the tiny levels of support which they receive from local authorities.

"Nonetheless, the argument in favour of twinning should not be reduced to an exercise in bean-counting. In an era of significant change and challenge, we throw away these long-term collaborative relationships at our peril."

And Bristol groups have continued to warn about the loss of international relations should the cut go ahead.

Peninah Achieng, of Bristol Link with Beira, said: "The twinning organisations are made up of hundreds of individuals, organisations and businesses who over the years have volunteered their time, efforts and their own money to develop links such as the schools partnerships between Luckwell primary and Matacuane primary, St Bernadette's and Macarungo primaries or Colston primary and Macuti primary.

"It would be a tragedy if the true intentions of the Lib Dems are masked and the current story of enhancing international work is accepted, resulting in the loss of this very important resource.

"We understand that efficiencies have to be realised in low impact areas as suggested by the council, however this is not one of them."

The council says it wants to enhance its relations with other countries, but will focus on developing trade and business. The twinning budget – currently £41,000 – will over the next two years be re-directed away from BITA.

Instead it will allocate half to a new "global catalyst" fund to provide additional financial support for the twinning associations in the city.

The rest will support economic development activities with our twin cities, and in time extend this to new relationships with cities in emerging economies.

Council leader Barbara Janke said: "Our commitment to Bristol's strong twinning ties will grow.

"Our main focus traditionally has been on promoting civic and cultural links. While these are important, the future of twinning in Bristol must also be about business and trade.

"Few people would disagree that in this economic climate we must do all we can to bring new jobs and investment into the city.

"Bristol has very strong historical links internationally and we must build on these, as well as in the longer term developing ties with the emerging economies.

"Our plan from next year will help develop a twinning programme that maintains the best of what we have already while creating new opportunities for jobs and growth."