Helping families on the county's borders

People living on Herefordshire’s Welsh borders are to benefit from a landmark agreement signed between Wales and the West Midlands this week.

Herefordshire Council’s leader, Councillor Roger Phillips joined leaders and representatives from Shropshire and Powys on 5 March, to mark a new Memorandum of Understanding to promote stronger cross-border collaboration between Central Wales and the West Midlands.

Families living along the 150-mile border between the two countries sometimes find it difficult to access services such as health and education within their country of residence because of distance, and often choose to use services available from their neighbouring country instead. 

Although there have always been strong economic and social links between the two areas, Central Wales and the West Midlands have radically different infrastructures, funding systems, policies and ways of working which can make cross-border working challenging.  

In a historic agreement, yesterday Carwyn Jones, Welsh Assembly Minister for Environment, Planning and the Countryside and Councillor David Smith, Chairman of the West Midlands Regional Assembly pledged stronger cross-border collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. 

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “Collaborative working has been going on for years, relying on the good will and common sense of people concerned.

“Borders are practically irrelevant to the way people live their lives, yet we do have distinct cultures and policy making mechanisms.  Strengthening collaborative working will help us make better decisions at all levels particularly in relation to settlement strategies, health, education, environment, transport and affordable housing so that Herefordshire residents living on the county’s borders with Shropshire and Wales should be able to access key services seamlessly.”