A pioneering European link with Brittany has been forged by Keighley Business Forum through its nationally-recognised waste minimisation programme.

A delegation has returned from Rennes, Brittany's regional capital, having established partnerships which will result in a £4 million bid for European funding to jointly develop innovative waste minimisation programmes.

Forum director Ian Copping says: "Like ourselves, Brittany is doing sterling work on the environmental front, and we feel we can learn a lot from each other.

"A return delegation will visit us later this month and examine how we can develop the initiative to share good practice, work more closely together and introduce new joint policies to help companies in both countries meet their environmental obligations.

"This is a major development for our programme, which is already benefiting many companies in the district and now takes on international significance."

The delegation to Brittany was led by KBF president Sir James Hill, with chairman Tim Parr, Iain Copping, waste minimisation project manager Chris Sealey and Councillor Andy Mudd, chairman of the SRB board. They met with representatives of the regional government for Brittany, its regional chambers of commerce and leaders of the area's environmental programme.

Mr Copping says: "European links will be further strengthened through the signing of a second waste minimisation agreement with the Thuringen region of Germany. These two projects will develop a more effective system for dealing with solid waste, and the results will be capable of adaptation for use by other regions in the UK and European Union."

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