Replacing the six welcome to Kenilworth signs after last week's twinning will cost at least £3,500 the town council has heard.

Kenilworth officially twinned with Sicilian town Roccalumera on Thursday night, some 12 years after the two towns signed a friendship agreement.

But with the addition of a third twin town, the council must now pay for the signs to be replaced.

"We need to make some progress with these road signs as it is no longer the hypothetical twinning," said Cllr Pippa Austin at January's Kenilworth Town Council meeting.

"Warwickshire County Council said it would cost around £3,500 for new designs, posts and installation.

"That is an initial quote but it gives an idea of the sums involved."

The council and the Kenilworth Twinning Association had planned to apply to a number of grants for funding, but some councillors said KTC should front the costs itself.

"As you know I am not a great fan of twinning, but that was the decision the council has taken," said Cllr John Cooke.

"There are six signs across the town that need replacing, so I am not surprised that the cost is over £3,000.

"But I would remind you that the twinning arrangement is a contractual one between the town council and the new town. So I think it is fair that we as the town council who have voted for this, we should be paying a fair amount of this."

Warwickshire County Council has already been approached for funding but said it would only pay to replace damaged signs.

But Cllr Graham Hyde agreed KTC should provide the money itself.

"Clearly after the twinning we need to upgrade the signs. Clearly they are in the ownership of the town council, so they ought to be our responsibility," he said.

Councillors still need to approve the design for the new signs, as well as approve the funding before the work can begin.

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