Leicestershire County Council approved additional funds for SuperFast Broadband on 15th July 2014.

This might be good news for us in Holwell as this additional funding may improve our broadband connection in the medium term i.e. by mid 2017.

Interesting update in the Report to the Chief Executive here: Broadband – Superfast Extension Programme.

Summary of the meeting’s decision below:

The Cabinet approved the additional funding as per the recommendations. The report can be found at http://politics.leics.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=135&MId=3992&Ver=4

Decision:

(a)       That the development of a broadband Superfast Extension Programme for Leicestershire, including the allocation of £2m from earmarked reserves as a capital contribution towards the cost of the Programme, be approved;

(b)       That the securing of £675,000 funding for 2015/16 from the Local Growth Fund as part of the recently announced Growth Deal be noted, and that approval be given to underwrite a further £1.325m indicatively allocated in the Growth Deal for 2016/17 should that funding not be secured;

(c)       That further investment be requested from district councils as set out in paragraphs 28 to 33 of the report;

(d)       That a hybrid procurement approach be pursued involving a call-off from the national framework contract being initiated utilising a majority of the funding available, with the remaining investment held back to enable exploration of alternative and innovative solutions to extending Broadband to the ‘final 6%’ in Leicestershire;

(e)       That approval be given to the County Council acting as the lead Local Body for the Superfast Extension Programme;

(f)        That it be noted that the Superfast Extension Programme will include Leicester, and that revised or new Collaboration Agreement with the City Council be entered into accordingly;

(g)       That the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader of the County Council and the County Solicitor, be authorised to take all actions and/or decisions he considers necessary to give effect to any matter relating to the Superfast Extension Programme;

(h)       That officers continue to facilitate discussions with parish councils and commercial providers to identify solutions which will enable superfast broadband provision to the ‘final 6%’ in Leicestershire;

(i)        That officers prepare an improved deployment map and other communications materials regarding planned fibre broadband provision across the County.

(KEY DECISION)

REASON FOR DECISION:

1. a)To further extend Superfast Broadband provision in rural Leicestershire in line with County Council priorities;

1. b)To safeguard delivery of the whole programme by enabling procurement to be initiated at a sufficiently early stage;

1. c)To maximise the potential roll out of Superfast Broadband to rural communities and businesses, and to achieve fair and equitable contributions from key partners;

1. d)To enable the most effective procurement of Broadband provision taking account of delivery challenges and timescale constraints;

1. e)andf) To enable efficient and effective liaison between local partners and Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), continuing the current arrangement in place for the Superfast Leicestershire programme;

g)    To facilitate the timely and effective procurement and delivery of the Programme.

1. h)   andi) To engage with local communities to help identify means for providing superfast broadband in the remaining areas of the County.

We have now initiated the procurement for Phase 2. Currently we are initiating the Open Market Review to identify the new NGA White areas in Leics. i.e. those areas which are not served by commercial providers or through the Phase 1 contract