Northumberland Council to Take Control of Broadband

Northumberland County Council wants to take rural broadband provision into its own hands in a bid to ensure that no community gets left behind.

08:42 07 February 2020

Council representatives have recently met with Digital and Broadband Minister Matt Warman to discuss their proposal of taking rural provisions into their own hands ahead of the Government’s budget.

 

The local authority, which has been involved in a range of initiatives to ensure that everybody gets access to broadband, said that they can use its own skills and resources to connect hard-to-reach homes and communities.

 

Coun Nick Oliver, the cabinet member for corporate services, said: “It is one of those light-bulb moments when you start to think about how we connect some of our most rural homes to broadband, when major companies are unwilling or unable to link them up.

 

“Within the council, we already have in-house vast expertise in terms of planning, laying trenches, building infrastructure and IT.

 

“So rather than waiting for other organisations to develop longer-term solutions, we just want to get on with installing broadband and connecting communities – something that many of us just take for granted.

 

“As a council, we’re committed to a can-do approach and working to ensure everyone can benefit from key services and feel part of the wider community, wherever they live in the county.”