Southland delegation to visit Italian sister city

Southland District Mayor Frana Cardno will finally be able to drink the bottle of wine waiting for her in Italy when a council delegation visits Cinque Terre for the first time next year.

Council chief executive Dave Adamson proposed the six-day trip to its sister city, set down for May, at a full council meeting yesterday.

While the final delegation size and costings were still to be decided, the council did approve funding for the mayor and friendship committee chairman Cr Paul Duffy's trip, from its $27,000 friendship relationships budget.

The average cost per person, including travel accommodation and meals, would be $4500, Mr Adamson said. It will be the first official visit between the two local bodies since the sister-city agreement was signed in March.

Areas of the relationship the Southland council wanted to advance included rural fire, pest and park management, tourism support and student exchanges.

Mr Adamson said the option would be open to councillors who wanted to explore other parts of Europe, but that would be at their own expense.

Mrs Cardno cheekily suggested she needed to collect on the deal offered by Cinque Terre president Franco Bonanini, when he presented a bottle of wine to her via Skype but said she had to come to Italy if she wanted to drink it.

michael.forbes@stl.co.nz

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