Superfast broadband plan gets Government green light

Posted on May 18, 2012

Central Bedfordshire Council's superfast broadband plan has been given the green light from the Government. This will mean massive investment in improved broadband infrastructure to improve connectivity and services for residents and support business productivity and growth.

Central Bedfordshire's Local Broadband Plan will be partially funded by £620,000 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Broadband Delivery UK team, with over £1.2 million being invested by the Council and Central Bedfordshire Together (the Local Strategic Partnership) to improve broadband services.

Under the plan a minimum of 90% of all premises would have access to superfast broadband (defined as being at least 24Mbit/s). The Local Broadband Plan will also aim to ensure that all premises in Central Bedfordshire have access to a minimum broadband service (at least 2Mbit/s) and increase the choice of broadband services and suppliers of services for local residents.

Cllr Richard Wenham, Deputy Executive Member for Corporate Resources at the council said: "We are delighted that the Government has given us the go-ahead to proceed with our superfast broadband roll out. This is an important step and we are focused on delivering the plan.

It demonstrates our commitment to improving local infrastructure.  We have already done a lot of preparation, which has been informed by what our residents, businesses and public sector partners in Central Bedfordshire have told us, but there is still time for people to contribute to our online broadband survey, and register their interest.

Rolling out superfast broadband in Central Bedfordshire will have a number of major benefits for the area. It will mean improved access to services for our residents and strengthen the local economy through supporting local business resilience, growth and innovation."

The Council will now move forward to procure a private sector infrastructure partner and secure additional private investment into Central Bedfordshire.    The Local Broadband Plan has been developed in partnership with Milton Keynes and Bedford Borough Councils with Central Bedfordshire.

The superfast broadband survey and further details about broadband in Central Bedfordshire can be found at can be found at: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/broadband