MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council has signed a “groundbreaking” agreement to work with its neighbours on regional issues.
The council signed the Marches Forward Partnership into reality today, Friday, November 10, at Hay Castle. The partnership includes Herefordshire, Shropshire and Powys county councils and will serve almost 750,000 people.
Authority leaders say they will work closely to secure funding from governments in Cardiff Bay and Westminster, as well as other partners, in order to unlock investment and “new delivery approaches” that benefit the Marches region.
Council leaders say their areas, which span 80 per cent of the borderland, have similar characteristics, geography and ambition for the region as a whole.
Transport, skills, housing, energy, climate change, tourism and digital connectivity are “high on the agenda”.
They hope to “unlock millions of pounds” for schemes that support the Marches’ rural economy and green growth.
Monmouthshire County Council's Leader, Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, said: "We all recognise the immense opportunities that the partnership will open up for Monmouthshire and the Marches.
“By working together, we can tackle the shared challenges facing us all, such as affordable housing and river health. We anticipate that our partnership will increase overall funding and investment into the region.
"The discussions we are seeing are encouraging and prove that collectively, we can work together to develop Monmouthshire and the Marches as a whole."
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