To agree the Council's participation in the BDUK Superfast Extension project to roll out superfast broadband infrastructure and approve an additional £500,000 contribution towards delivering superfast broadband infrastructure in Central Bedfordshire.

RECOMMENDED to Council

That an additional £500,000 capital funding to fully match Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) allocations for the delivery of superfast broadband infrastructure be approved.

RESOLVED

1.      That the use of the BDUK procurement framework to select a private partner to put in place necessary infrastructure to deliver at least 95% superfast coverage (speeds of at least 24 megabits per second) and ensure access to infrastructure able to provide at least 2 Megabits per second to all premises be approved.

3.      That the local procurement priority, to maximise total coverage, and subject to this, seek to achieve a balance of residential and business premise coverage and to seek to achieve a reasonable geographic spread, taking into account local demand, demonstrated through responses to the Broadband survey be approved.

4.      To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Business, in consultation with the Executive Member for Regeneration and Deputy Executive Member for Corporate Resources, to select the contractor based on any priorities the Council sets and the successful completion of the BDUK procurement process and sign and vary the contract if additional resources are secured during the lifetime of the contract.

5.      To authorise the Deputy Executive Member for Corporate Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Regeneration, to represent the Council through the Superfast Extension Programme.

6.      That the Council’s continued participation with the existing partnership arrangements, updating the collaboration agreement as required be approved. Furthermore, that the Deputy Executive Member for Corporate Resources, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Business , approves any proposed changes to the membership and terms of reference to the partnership.