Government green lights Staffordshire’s £15m superfast broadband

THE £15m installation of superfast broadband to thousands of homes and businesses across Staffordshire is set to go ahead after the Government gave its consent to the plan.

The scheme follows a decision by Staffordshire County Council to invest £7.5m in the project – a commitment which has been match-funded by Whitehall.

Staffordshire cabinet members said the local authority had a duty to invest funds where they were most needed.

The council will now begin looking for a suitable supplier to install the necessary infrastructure.

The authority said a survey into the demand for superfast broadband would take place in May, with responses demonstrating where it was needed most and why broadband companies should invest in Staffordshire.

The county council is also looking for ‘broadband champions’ across Staffordshire who will spread the word about the project in their communities and how people will benefit. Broadband champions will also be asked to help identify the demand for faster broadband in their areas.

Cllr Mark Winnington, cabinet member for assets and environment, said 90% of properties in Staffordshire would have access to superfast broadband (24 mbps or more) by mid-2015.

“Government approval of our local broadband project plan is a significant milestone as it means we can really get going,” he said.

“In other areas local projects may still be looking at funding sources in order to unlock the Government support; but in Staffordshire we felt it was vital to commit ourselves to making this investment.

“The county council has demonstrated leadership in ensuring our residents and businesses have the same opportunities as people across Europe.”

He said the council saw superfast broadband as a vital piece of communications infrastructure necessary for everyday living.

“Our investment will see positive long-term returns for Staffordshire people and improve our economic prosperity,” he added.

By the end of this year a company will have been selected to carry out the project with work set to begin by spring 2013.  Currently there are 178,000 properties across Staffordshire without basic broadband (at least 2 mbps) and the chosen supplier has to ensure that all properties have access to basic broadband, with 90% able to access superfast speeds by mid-2015.