BROADBAND UPDATE (00-15-39)
To receive an update from Devon County Council on broadband rollout in Mid Devon
Minutes:
The Chairman welcomed Keri Denton and Matt Barrow from Devon County Council to the meeting inviting them to provide an update on the rollout of broadband across Mid Devon.
Both officers addressed the meeting and provided a presentation which highlighted the work of the ‘Connecting Devon and Somerset’ team:
· The objectives of the Connecting Devon and Somerset programme which was a local authority led partnership
· The overall funding of the phases of the programme and the funding partners
· 6 new contracts had been let to further the work that had already taken place
· The percentage of properties already reached in Mid Devon and those that were planned
· The percentage of properties (4%) which would be ‘very hard to reach’
· Maps highlighting the network clusters that required provision and the steps that needed to be taken before the work could actually take place
· The coverage for Lot E (Palmerson Park area of Tiverton) which had been identified by a question from a councillor with regard to the price of any connection. The meeting was informed that the connection fee would be £99 in line with all providers.
· Willand, Uffculme and Hemyock had also been highlighted – Gigaclear were putting in broadband in parts of those villages but that there were still spots that were not going to receive any broadband provision from this company – the meeting was informed that some companies did cherry pick their locations and that was the reason why CDS were addressing those issues.
· The work of Airband in the Shobrooke and Stockleigh Pomeroy area – it was suggested that rural coverage would be going into those areas
· Wholesale v retail and which companies provided what services
· The very hard to reach properties process was explained some of which maybe the last to be connected
· The recent Government Consultation and the need to encourage more collaboration of the market space
· The additional options available to cover those very hard to reach properties
Discussion took place with regard to:
· Individual very hard to reach properties with Mr Barrow suggesting he take up individual issues with councillors
· The voucher scheme that may be used to help the very hard to reach properties
· Connection costs
· How individual properties that were in the very hard to reach category be supported
The Chairman thanked both officers for their attendance.