OXFORD City Council has signed an agreement to build up links with an Italian city that could lead to them twinning.

The deputy mayor of Padua signed a memorandum of understanding with Oxford’s Lord Mayor, Jean Fooks.

Figures who attended the event at Oxford Town Hall included current city councillor John Tanner, council deputy leader Linda Smith and former council leader Bob Price.

The event was held on Europe Day.

Mr Tanner said: “Whatever happens in the Brexit talks Oxford City Council is determined to build ever closer links with cities in the rest of Europe.

“We are thrilled to meet with representatives of the ancient city of Padua, Italy on Europe Day. Oxford City Council is flying the European Union flag to mark Europe Day and our new friendship with Padua.

“The United Kingdom is still a member of the EU so for now this is the common flag of both Padua and Oxford.”

Oxford University and Università degli Studi di Padova are already linked through the the Sub-Faculty of Italian at Oxford and italianistica at the University of Padua.

Linda Smith said: “Our links and friendships with our European counterparts are more important than ever during this period of uncertainty about our future relationship with the European Union.”

The city council is also looking to twin with Polish city Wroclaw. Mr Tanner and a city council officer visited it earlier this year to see how it could be linked.

If both Padua and Wroclaw are twinned, it would mean Oxford would have seven twin cities.

It is already formally linked to Bonn in Germany, Grenoble in France, Leiden in the Netherlands, Leon in Nicaragua and Perm in Russia.