The Marches Forward Partnership (MFP) is extending an open invitation to strategic stakeholders to join its Partnership Board.
This includes health and housing boards, transport experts, lobby groups and government representatives in England and Wales.
Over the last 12 months the MFP, a collaboration comprising Herefordshire Council, Monmouthshire and Powys County Councils and Shropshire Council, has been working to identify its strategic direction and the establishment of a dedicated board.
Heather Kidd, Leader of Shropshire Council, speaking on behalf of the MFP, said:
The MFP board will serve as a voluntary, agile, and strategic body, meeting quarterly to guide the partnership’s ambitions. Its membership will include Leaders and Chief Executives from the four local authorities, alongside our key strategic partners who bring deep local expertise and a shared commitment to driving a high-productivity rural and town-based economy, positioning the Marches as a green economy trailblazer and creating healthy and connected communities.
While the board will not hold decision-making powers over individual partner organisations, it will play a crucial role in identifying and addressing complex, cross-cutting regional challenges—particularly in the face of rising costs, funding uncertainties, and growing demand.
Letters of invitation have been sent out to prospective board members inviting them to attend quarterly meetings to help shape the MFP strategic focus, guide the work of programme management groups to support a collaborative, non-binding approach to regional cross-border development.
The role of partnership chair will be rotated to ensure shared leadership and representation across the partnership.
The inaugural meeting of the MFP Board is scheduled for 16 July 2025, at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, hosted by Shropshire Council.