The town has formal ties with Voerde in Germany, Time Kommune in Norway and Lagny-sur-Marne in France, but the demise of Alnwick District Council, which funded these links, has left the scheme in jeopardy.

Coun Andrew Tebbutt, executive member for corporate resources at the county council, told Thursday's Alnwick Town Council meeting the new unitary authority saw twinning arrangements as very much a "local issue".

He added: "We took a decision in principal that it wasn't considered to be one of the imperative day one issues.

"The reality is, we can't put money in to help you. The amount of money that was taken out of the system to form the unitary was £25million.

"That is even more in 2010/11 – around £30million – which is going to mean we are going to be pushed to maintain essential services, let alone the icing on the cake."

He said funds could be obtained from European grants or the community chest and stressed now was the time for towns such as Alnwick to develop a town plan, or work in partnership with other towns.

But Coun Martin Harrington said he was disappointed with the news and said town twinning had been a "major asset to the town".

that we have moved from something that was working with us to be presented with the situation we are tonight."
Coun Castle said: "The point has been made. It was a district town twinning arrangement before. Alnwick is a town. Lagny in France is much the same as Alnwick. It is the sort of town Alnwick might want to be twinned with. Or do we bring in other towns like Amble? Do we go in a community approach?"

He added: "We have to justify to our local tax payers what we spend their money on. It is no good wishing the district council back. If we are going to spend tax payers money on twinning we have to justify it."
It appears that Alnwick's foreign friends want to stay connected to the town.

The mayor of Lagny has invited members of the town council, as well as the Duchess's Community High School choir, to go across the Channel for a special celebration in December.

Mayor Coun Eileen Blakey said: "We as a town council might be asked to fund part of it. The town council does not have the funding to send members to Lagny as the district council to do."
Members have also unofficially agreed to give a civic reception for a contingent from Voerda next year.