Rochford District Council has issued the following press release.
Schools, GP surgeries, care homes and village halls across South Essex are set to enjoy from some of the fastest broadband connections in the UK thanks to a £4.5m boost secured by South Essex councils. Homes and local businesses are also expected to benefit from the programme.
The broadband boost is the result of a successful bid to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by South Essex councils working under the banner of the Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA).
The funding will deliver improved connectivity to 214 sites in the South Essex corridor, including locations in Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Rochford and Thurrock.
The money will help take gigabit speed broadband to rural and hard-to-reach areas of South Essex, with the expectation that this leads to broadband providers (ISPs) creating additional connections to local homes and businesses.
The funding will see the extension of gigabit fibre connectivity to a number of rural public sector sites within the corridor and in doing so will allow the private sector to build from this connectivity and supply homes and businesses in the vicinity.
Cllr Louise McKinlay, Leader of Brentwood Borough Council and Chair of ASELA, said: “It is fantastic news that collectively we have secured funding that will have a huge impact on the whole of south Essex and start to improve local and regional infrastructure across the area.
“The power of connectivity is continuing to shape the way we work, live and play, and so it is very important that we continue to lead and innovate in the future”.
“Whilst ASELA has only been formed for a short time now, the work that has already taken place shows the very positive impact that collaborative working and talking across district and borough boundaries can have across our region.”
Minister for Digital, Margot James, said:”We’re building a Britain that’s fit for the future, and our plans for a national full fibre broadband network underpin our modern Industrial Strategy. This £4.5 boost for gigabit speeds in South Essex will build on the tremendous work already being done by Superfast Essex and I congratulate ASELA on their successful bid.”
We’ve done a bit of digging on this and sadly it appears that residents won’t directly see any benefit from this investment.
It is intention of this project to upgrade public sector sites with a fibre capability which will indirectly enable local business and residents to have access to fibre through attracting private investment.
Rochford District Council