Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Mullin introduced the Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) report which provided an update on the digital work carried out to date by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB). 

The Chief Officer (Governance) provided details on the development of the Digital Connectivity Strategy for the region, including an update on the LFFN project being developed to secure funding from UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

At the meeting in March of the NWEAB, a Digital Connectivity Strategy for the region was approved.  It was also agreed at that meeting that Denbighshire County Council would be the lead authority for the purposes of the bid for the funding.

The Enterprise and Regeneration Manager explained that the LFFN focussed on upgrading public sector connectivity by replacing current copper connections with better value, faster ‘full fibre’ connections at around 400 sites across the region.  Amongst the direct public sector beneficiaries would be Local Authorities, Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and GP surgeries.  Surrounding residential and business properties would also benefit from the investment in the fibre network.  The outcome of the £13m investment would be an almost complete coverage of full fibre connectivity across the public sector in North Wales, making it one of the best connected in the UK.

Councillor Shotton welcomed the report and said it was universally beneficial to the region of North Wales and would help to expand employment sectors.

The Chief Executive said this was a top priority in the Growth Deal work and all partner organisations were taking similar reports to Cabinet meetings for approval.  He thanked Denbighshire and Wrexham Councils, who had led the project, for the work undertaken to date.

In response to a question from Councillor Attridge, the Chief Officer (Governance) explained that £33,000 of the funding would be met from the contingency element in the Capital Programme and the revenue cost of £9,500 would be met from reserves from the Revenue budget; the costs had emerged after the budget process had been completed.

RESOLVED:

            (a)       That the North Wales Connectivity Strategy be adopted;

(b)       That it be approved that the Council enters into a suitable Inter-Authority Agreement with the other partner bodies in respect of the Local Full Fibre Network project; and

(c)        That the S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Corporate Management and Assets and Economic Development, and the Leader of the Council, be authorised to agree the final terms of the Inter Authority Agreement.