Three councils have welcomed a £3.24m boost to help deliver superfast broadband across Cheshire and Warrington.
Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington Borough councils’ share of the £362m pot to improve internet connections in rural parts of England and Scotland was announced on Tuesday by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
However, the three councils’ Cheshire & Warrington Superfast Broadband Project needs to raise up to £40m through additional public sector funding and investment to make the whole of Cheshire completely superfast broadband-enabled by 2015.
Councillor David Brown, Cabinet member with responsibility for performance and capacity at Cheshire East Council, said: “We very much welcome the announcement, although £3.24m is not as high as we had anticipated.
“The team will continue to pursue other sources of funding to complement this sum with the aim of achieving £40m in total.
“We urge the public to help us connect Cheshire and Warrington by registering their demand for superfast broadband on the Connecting Cheshire website.”
Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Executive Member for Prosperity, Councillor Herbert Manley, added: “This announcement is fantastic news, particularly for our rural communities who may currently be disadvantaged by a lack of broadband provision.
“Securing this funding is the first step towards the delivery of superfast broadband but we cannot rest on our laurels, we now need to secure further funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
“The Rural Agenda and Market Towns team at Cheshire West and Chester Council played a major role in the delivery of this priority project but we are now calling on communities to throw their support behind the campaign. To do this they should visit www.connectingcheshire.org.uk and register their interest.”
Councillor Hitesh Patel, executive board member for communications and personnel at Warrington Borough Council, said: “High-quality broadband is essential to thriving communities. Our aim is to ensure that all residents and businesses in the borough have access to a fast broadband connection and this funding will help us to achieve this goal.”
The benefits from the provision of superfast broadband across the region has been estimated to support the creation of 5,500 jobs in Cheshire and Warrington and add £197m in growth to the local economy year on year.
Improved digital connectivity is a catalyst for innovation and the creation of wealth, particularly in Cheshire and Warrington, where the digital and creative industries are strong.
Residents would benefit from superfast broadband by being able to access Council, banking and shopping services online, reducing the need for journeys and saving time and money.
A more efficient way of delivering services for the Council would also result in cost savings for the taxpayer. It would also increase the possibility of remote and flexible working for staff, resulting in further savings.
To register support for superfast broadband in Cheshire and Warrington, visit www.connectingcheshire.org.uk or email info@connectingcheshire.org.uk
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