Broadband Leicestershire Lutterworth, Broughton Astley & Rural West Community Forum 1 st March 2012 Helen Harris Leicestershire County Council

Outline - Importance of Super-Fast Broadband - Government priorities and funding - Broadband Leicestershire -Overview -Funding -Raising demand - Rural West Community Forum - Timetable - What can you do!

Importance of Super-Fast Broadband - Super-fast broadband is essential - Securing economic growth - Connecting communities - Reducing rural isolation - Unlocking education and learning opportunities - Cutting carbon - Improving access to services - Driving public service transformation - Recreation and entertainment

Government priorities and funding -Fastest (Best) broadband in Europe by £530m to 2015 (+ £300m to 2017) -Government seeks to deliver in the UK by Super-fast broadband to 90% (c.30Mbit/s) - Basic broadband to Final 10% (2Mbit/s) -Defra Rural Community Broadband Fund - £20m -Funding only eligible in the “Final Third”

Final Third in Leicestershire 92,000 premises, including 3,700 businesses

Broadband Leicestershire -Broadband Lead – Byron Rhodes CC -Vision – “To ensure roll-out of SFBB to 100% of Leicestershire premises by 2017” -Submitted our high-level broadband strategy -Economic, community and public sector priorities -Existing networks (inc. community-led) -Strategy to raise demand -Governance structures

Cost and funding -Leicestershire costs and funding -More than £20m (90:10 - £13m) -LCC committed £4m -Government allocation - £3.14m -District council support – Harborough -EU funding if required -Telecommunication supplier contribution -Connecting Leicestershire’s Communities - £300k -Remote communities and individual premises

Raising demand – communities, businesses -“If you build it, they will come” – Field of Dreams Helping to raise demand -Household and business survey – 2 nd March -“Community Connectivity Champions” -Targeted events, peer-to-peer support and skills development – in partnership with supplier -Final 10% - targeted activity -Leicester Shire Business Council – 8000!

Slow-spots © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Leicestershire County Council. LA a. Published 2011 Super-fast broadband enabled

Timetable Submit Local Broadband PlanEnd Feb 2012 Public consultation on “eligible areas”July 2012 Identify telecommunications supplierEnd Dec 2012 Launch “demand stimulation” eventsJan/Feb 2013 Commence roll-outLater in 2013 Complete initial roll-out2015

Next Steps - What can you do? 1)Complete the broadband survey and register to be kept updated – 2)Encourage others to complete the survey 3)Form a local Action Group with neighbouring communities 4)Develop a “dossier of demand” – case studies 5)Identify a “Community Connectivity Champion”

Contact details Matthew Kempson