Issue - decisions

RESOLVED that approval is given for the Smart Place Team, supported by Law and Governance and Strategic Procurement, to procure a Gigabit Fibre Neutral Host Operator.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Development, Growth and Regeneration

Reasons

1.    Helps to deliver significant economic and social benefits to the area.

2.    Helps to meet the Big Plan objective of BCP having the best connectivity in the country.

3.    Supports the Council’s regeneration and place-shaping ambitions.

4.    Supports the Council’s Smart Place programme.

5.    Supports the government’s ‘Levelling Up’ missions particularly by helping to address the local ‘digital divide’ through more widely available and affordable broadband services.

6.    Encourages wider private sector investment into Gigabit fibre infrastructure and creates more competition in the Internet Server Provider (ISP) market.

7.    Is the most cost-effective solution for delivering the Council’s Gigabit connectivity objectives whist minimising the Council’s financial commitment and commercial risks.

8.    Opens up the opportunity for income generation for existing ducting and fibre asset owners including the Council.