Two English councils, Herefordshire and Shropshire, and two Welsh county councils, Monmouthshire and Powys, have signed a partnership agreement.
Through the Marches Forward partnership, the councils will work to secure funding from the UK and Welsh governments for projects in the region.
The local authorities, which cover 80% of the English/Welsh borderland, said the partnership reflects their commitment to work ‘cross border, cross country and cross party’.
Their priorities include transport, skills, housing, energy, climate change, tourism and digital connectivity.
Monmouthshire County Council leader Mary Ann Brocklesby said: ‘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.’
Herefordshire Council leader Jonathan Lester said: ‘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 into actions.’
