Melton invests in super fast broadband

Melton invests in super fast broadband

Melton has become the first town in Leicestershire to approve funding for super fast broadband for the area.

Councillors have approved £360,000 towards a multi-million pound national super fast broadband roll-out scheme which aims to get high-speed broadband to around 190,000 people who aren’t currently online. This group is known as the ‘final third’ who are yet to get access to high-speed broadband.

The Government-backed campaign is on schedule to make sure that everyone in the UK has access to broadband by 2017. Leicestershire Council is aiming to have 90 per cent of the county online by 2015, with everyone connected by 2017. The Council has matched £4 million of government funding with £3 million of its own.

Access to broadband services has been hailed as an essential part of the economic recovery, especially to give consumers more choice and prevent rural dwellers from being isolated.

Bryon Rhodes, leader of Melton Council, said, "All the money we need to take the superfast broadband campaign forward for the borough is now in place.

“We are now waiting for the green light from Government agency Broadband UK to sign up a contractor and we hope progress can be made from as early as this autumn.

“Melton is the first district council in Leicestsershire to approve its contribution so we should be first in the queue and that is what we are saying to the county council.

“The broadband service in many of our villages, especially in the Vale of Belvoir, is variable and we are determined to put that right and give communities and businesses a real boost.”

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