Every home and business in the Bath & North East Somerset area will potentially be able to access broadband by 2015 with almost nine out of ten enjoying superfast speeds of up to 20 Mbps.
The positive news follows the Council Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 11th January 2012 and a decision to undertake a joint bid for Broadband Delivery UK funding with Somerset County Council, Devon County Council, North Somerset Council, Plymouth County Council, and Torbay Council subject to the Council approving a capital allocation in its 2012/13 budget in February.
The total investment in broadband infrastructure locally will be £2.724 million, with the Council potentially providing £475,000. The remaining money will be made-up of funding from the European Regional Development Fund, Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) money, and the private sector.
Councillor Cherry Beath (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Communities, said, “The Cabinet recognises how important that broadband access is for communities and creating the business environment to create jobs with economic prosperity. We have thoroughly investigated all the options to improve broadband access and listened to the views of local people, particularly in rural areas where around 40,000 people live in areas susceptible to low internet speeds.
“As a result, Bath & North East Somerset Council has secured an excellent deal for local taxpayers and residents compared to the initial proposal rejected by the Cabinet from BDUK that would have seen us join with Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bristol.
“Under this idea, for every £1 of Council money, we would have secured just £2.20 in private sector and Central Government investment. Through the Cabinet deciding to join the ‘Connecting Devon and Somerset’ bid, every £1 will secure £4.70 and see a much greater number of homes and businesses accessing broadband. By 2015, the Cabinet is determined to have improved broadband access for every single home and business in our area through our involvement with this bid.”
The Local Broadband Plan for B&NES will be put into action through working with our partners in the ‘Connecting Devon and Somerset’ bid.
