Agenda item

To receive a report from the Chief Digital Officer (copy attached) to provide information regarding current activities in relation to broadband and mobile networks in rural areas.

11.25 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.

The Leader, Councillor Hugh Evans and the Chief Digital Officer, Barry Eaton were in attendance for the following item.

The Leader, Councillor Hugh Evans, introduced the report (previously circulated) to detail the work being undertaken by the Council with respect of securing better connectivity in rural areas, in line with the recommendations of the November 2018 Wales Audit Office report on Local Government Services to Rural Communities, specifically in relation to broadband and mobile networks in rural areas.

Denbighshire County Council had long-standing concerns on the availability of superfast broadband in all areas of the county, therefore, Scrutiny had requested an update on the progress made to date in securing superfast broadband access to all who wanted it.   Through the provision of a visual presentation, the Committee was advised that whilst approximately 90% of properties in Denbighshire had access to superfast broadband, 10% were unable to access it.  The majority of these properties were located in the county’s rural areas.  Even after the rollout of Phase 2 of Superfast Cymru, due to be completed during 2021, somewhere in the region of 5% of the county’s properties would still not be able to access superfast broadband. 

The Council was actively working with other public sector organisations across North Wales to bid for Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) funding.  If successful, the money would be utilised to connect 39 public sector premises in the county to superfast broadband (amongst the premises to benefit would be the meeting places of all community councils in Denbighshire).  Whilst this initiative would benefit a number of rural communities, not all rural areas would benefit. 

Another positive step forward was the recent recruitment of a Digital Business Officer for a 12 month period.  This officer would be available to assist small businesses and communities to identify solutions to broadband access.  The officer would also work with community councils and community groups with a view to identifying opportunities to improve broadband access, and to assist with the development of community-led bids for funding to help secure broadband access. 

Members referred to various initiatives underway in Wales and in other European countries which were aimed at maximising access to Broadband and asked the Council to provide information to Community Councils on the work that would be undertaken in Denbighshire to help communities access Broadband services.  It was also suggested that elected members could encourage Community Councils within their wards to work together in order to secure better Broadband access.  The recent appointment of a Digital Business Officer would assist, as this officer would be available to help communities to find broadband solutions and develop bids for community voucher schemes to facilitate the delivery of broadband services to their area.

In commending the initiatives underway with a view to realising superfast broadband access for the majority of properties in Denbighshire, the Committee was also firmly of the view that central government should be doing considerably more to ensure that all properties, regardless of their location, should have equal access to superfast broadband.  They felt that in 21^st century Wales broadband access should be viewed as a necessity of daily life, a basic utility similar to clean water and electricity.  On this basis the Committee agreed to write to relevant Welsh Government Ministers and Commissioners emphasising this point and drawing the Committee’s concerns to their attention.   The Committee:

RESOLVED-

(i)            subject to the above observations to support the activities detailed in the report and presentation received on the work underway in Denbighshire to improve access to Broadband and Mobile Networks in Denbighshire’s rural areas; and

(ii)          to write to relevant Welsh Government Ministers and Commissioners seeking their assistance to ensure that all properties in Wales had equal access to Broadband services on the basis that Broadband was a required commodity for every individual’s daily life in the 21^st century