‘Marches Partnership’ developed between border counties

Twm Owen Local Democracy Reporter

Supporting food production, addressing environmental issues and improving transport links between Wales and England have all been identified as priorities by councils along the border. 

Monmouthshire and Powys agreed to form a voluntary partnership with English neighbours Herefordshire and Shropshire in September 2023. 

The Marches Forward Partnership is intended to help the border counties contribute to economic growth and recognise issues they have in common and that cross the different boundaries everyday.

Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet has now backed the agreed vision and collective ambition for the Marches Forward Partnership.

Priorities

The Marches Proposition document sets out three immediate priorities which are support for food production, a Marches Environmental Investment and Innovation Platform which will address challenges such as water quality and flood risk and to attract private investment while a health group will consider pilot projects to make early interventions on health inequalities and the transport group will look to improve cross-border transport. 

The councils hope their work can help it attract £1.5m in funding from the UK and Welsh governments. 

The four councils have contributed around £100,000 each with Monmouthshire’s contribution to date just over £95,000 which it took from its allocation from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund. 

Its contribution in the current financial year will be between £54,000 and £61,553 which will come from its own capital budgets.

“Active partner”

Conservative opposition leader Councillor Richard John described the council’s contribution as “funded by the UK Government” and asked what confidence it had the partnership has the support of the UK Government which has recently withdrawn funding for other “pan-regional” development projects including the Western Gateway Partnership. 

Deputy leader, Labour’s Paul Griffiths, said the Marches Partnership is in a “different position” to the Western Gateway, which was directly funded by Westminster to work across South Wales and the West of England, but said deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s department has asked to be part of some of its working groups. 

“It is an expression of genuine interest and a desire to be an active partner,” said Cllr Griffiths. 

Cabinet member Sara Burch said she thought the partnership is a “real opportunity” for the food economy and tourism. 

Monmouthshire’s cabinet also agreed to a partnership board, from the member councils intended as a “light touch governance arrangement” and to an evaluation of the partnership’s progress after 12 months.