Agenda item

(Item 7 – report by the Cabinet Member for Business Strategy, Performance and Health Reform Roger Gough and the Corporate Director of Business Strategy and Support, David Cockburn) 

Cabinet received a report of the Members and officers named above, the purpose of which was to provide an update on the £43 million project to transform Kent and Medway’s Broadband infrastructure for which KCC was the lead organisation.  The project would be delivered in partnership with the Government’s Broadband Agency, BDUK, and would ensure that at least 90% of properties could access superfast broadband by 2015 and that the remaining 10% had access of at least 2Mbits/s. 

Liz Harrison, Economic Development Manager, Business Strategy and Support was in attendance to speak to the item.

The Cabinet Member for Business Strategy, Performance and Health Reform, Mr Roger Gough, introduced the item.  He explained that the report sought agreement for the direction of travel of the BDUK project.   He referred Cabinet to the timetable included within the report and the key dates for beginning the tendering process and for awarding the contract.  These were November 2012 and spring 2013 respectively.  He reminded those present that the timetable was subject to many external forces but that at present it was keeping to time and KCC had done well to progress as it had to date and establish a strong position within the scheme. 

One major external factor that was likely to influence the project unless resolved quickly was the European State Aid dispute between the EU and the British Government, but this, he hoped, was close to resolution.

Mr Gough continued to report that an early slot on the Governments Broadband procurement pipeline had been secured and that this was essential in light of the time limited nature of the fund.

Liz Harrison addressed Cabinet.  She assured Members that the team were committed to getting the infrastructure to deliver the project in place, as soon as possible and that the early slot to which Mr Gough had referred would help to ensure that happened.

In response to a question from the Leader of the County Council, Ms Harrison reported that although the detailed timetables were still in discussion and bidders were considering the best ways to implement what had been required of them, it was hoped that by the end of 2015 the aims of the project would be fully achieved.  She reminded cabinet that the project would see a phased roll out of provision and therefore many houses and businesses would have faster broadband before that date.