DISS mayor Jane Trippett-Jones and councillor Tony Palmer and Dr Jan Hunt, headteacher of Diss High School, visited the Municipality of Midden-Delfland in the Netherlands.

DISS mayor Jane Trippett-Jones and councillor Tony Palmer and Dr Jan Hunt, headteacher of Diss High School, visited the Municipality of Midden-Delfland in the Netherlands.

It followed an invitation from Dutch mayor (Burgemeester) Arnoud Rodenburg (accompanied by his policy advisor and Cittaslow team coordinators) to exchange ideas and investigate future opportunities to work together.

The Diss delegation met the headteacher and staff of the Reviuslyceum, a local high school. Dr Hunt was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the school and comparisons were made between the systems of education in the Netherlands and the UK. There was also a useful discussion about an exchange between the two schools.

There was also a boat trip on the local waterways, followed by a walk around the area. Though close to Delft, the scenery is rural with green fields interspersed with canals and rivers - very similar to the Broads.

The Diss group was shown a video promoting Cittaslow values in Midden-Delfland and compared experiences of Cittaslow and ways to enhance the quality of life. It was noted that Midden Delfland had allocated staff to implementing Cittaslow. There is strong emphasis on sustainability particularly with relation to planning and recycling measures.

Finally a visit was made to a redundant church which had been restored and has had a change of use to an arts centre. This has a restaurant attached which uses locally sourced organic products where possible. Jane Trippett-Jones presented a framed photograph of Diss to Mayor Rodenburg.