Issue - meetings

The report of the Executive Manager – Communities.

The Executive Manager – Communities welcomed Ceren Clulow – Broadband Project Manager at Nottinghamshire County Council. Ms Clulow provided a presentation on the progress of fibre Broadband delivery in Rushcliffe as part of a three year Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire Programme (BBfN) in partnership with BT Openreach.

The presentation provided an overview of the BBfN programme and provided information on the progress of contract 2 highlighting the take up of broadband services within Rushcliffe, and the future plans and aspirations for contract 3.

Ms Clulow advised the group that Broadband take up had been better than expected across Nottinghamshire as a whole, providing a greater profit share with BT which the County council would use to re-invest and progress contract 3. Ms Clulow added that BT were currently working on a model for additional coverage with the provision for additional build within Rushcliffe, details of which will be published in March 2019.

Ms Clulow highlighted the economic impact that better Broadband services provide for business start-ups, productivity, innovation and employment. She added that new housing developments were a key element for building on the existing Broadband network and by getting the fibre optic infrastructure in the ground when the utilities were being inserted was essential. She added that contract 3 would include improvements for schools and rural areas with the implementation of subsidised schemes.

Members of the Group asked several specific questions regarding the take up of Broadband in rural areas of the Borough where access to faster Broadband was limited. Members suggested that contacting ward members and Town and Parish Councils to present the Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire delivery may help to encourage a greater take up and improve network capacity.  Ms Clulow welcomed support from ward members and advised that costs are generally higher in rural communities as properties are further apart, she added that residents could apply for alternative subsidised schemes depending on their location and capacity of the broadband network. 

Members questioned the number of cabinets that had been installed and whether there were enough to support future demand. Ms Culow advised that in some areas demand was greater than supply, adding that lessons had been learned and that Outreach were installing larger cabinets so as to future proof any additional demand.

Members of the Group questioned the provision of Broadband for new-builds and asked the Council whether this was a condition of the planning application on new developments. The Executive Manager – Communities advised that it was not a statutory condition and could not be enforced. He did however confirm that with the larger developments, the contractors were making provision for Broadband.

It was RESOLVED that

a)     The report of the Executive Manager – Communities be noted.

b)     The Group be provided with additional information regarding properties where Broadband had not been provided.