It is about as far removed from Staffordshire as you could get – but that doesn’t stop county council leaders cosying up to an island paradise in the South Pacific.

While people in the county are preoccupied with keeping their jobs in the recession, rising bills and roads riddled with potholes, Staffordshire Country Council has been busy signing up a formal ‘partnership’ with Tuvalu. But the Labour-controlled council insists the link is purely a signal of its solidarity with the country.

Tuvalu is one of the smallest in the world and is threatened by rising sea levels.

Council leaders say that the cost of the partnership to the taxpayer is minimal – and that there are no plans for a fact-finding trip to the islands, which are situated midway between Hawaii and Australia.

County council chairman Councillor Terry Dix, who is also the authority’s ‘climate change champion’ says it is all part of their efforts to raise awareness about global warming.

He said the nine coral islands that make up Tuvalu are expected to be submerged by 2050.

But the leader of the opposition Tory group, Councillor Philip Atkins, criticised the partnership – saying the council’s efforts would be better focused on creating employment, sorting out the local economy and improving roads in the region.

He said he would be monitoring any cost to the taxpayer from the link, and said: “The council shouldn’t be making empty promises to help Tuvalu.”

Councillor Atkins, who hopes to win control of the council in the June elections, said he believed any climate change efforts by the council should concentrate on encouraging the development of ‘green’ technology in the county that would also bring local jobs.

Gifts were exchanged between Councillor Dix and the Honorary Consul of Tuvalu, Dr Iftikhar Ayaz, to mark the signing ceremony yesterday.

Dr Ayaz received a specially commissioned Wedgwood plate to mark the occasion and Councillor Dix was presented with a range of traditionally crafted Tuvaluan artworks.

Council spokesman Richard Caddy said it was mainly moral support that was being offered and work between Staffordshire and Tuvalu would take place using technology like the internet and through the consulate in London.

He said the signing was a culmination of a long term relationship between Staffordshire and Tuvalu which began with the creation of the council’s OC3 Climate Change website in 2008.

The council has been displaying the flag of Tuvalu, which is only marginally larger than Vatican City, at its County Buildings headquarters in Stafford ever since.

Councillor Dix said: “We want to make people understand the global significance of walking instead of driving or flying.”