Herefordshire Council signed an agreement on Friday, November 10 with three other English and Welsh local authorities.

The Marches Forward Partnership sees Herefordshire Council join forces with Shropshire Council and Monmouthshire and Powys county councils to take on projects. 

The four local authorities will work closely together with both UK and Welsh governments to secure funding support, unlocking more investment and explore new approaches.

Covering 80% of the English/Welsh borderland, the local authorities have similar characteristics and geography as well as an overriding mutual ambition for the region. 

Transport, skills and housing, alongside energy, climate change, tourism and digital connectivity are high on the agenda, all common issues for the area’s population of almost 750,000.

Leader of Herefordshire Council, Cllr Jonathan Lester, said: “This partnership offers a great opportunity to work with our neighbours on issues that are common to us all.

“While all the councils will continue to run for the benefit of their residents, the partnership provides a really helpful framework for collaboration on areas where we can get the most benefit and make the biggest difference by working together.

“These are very early days but we’ve already started discussion around what we would like to achieve and will be moving at pace to turn these ambitions actions.”