what is the point of twinning a town apart from from giving councilers free holidays?

Answer 1

Good question.
I've seen signs in crappy, dusty little villages that say they're twinned with somewhere exotic-sounding in France and it made me feel pity on the French.
Apart from the councillors, I reckon it's just to cheer up the locals to make them feel part of something better, and not just the cheap chav scum inbreds they really are.