Fast and reliable broadband access is vital for everyone, and we know that broadband funding is an important topic to many of our members across the county. The last year has made it very clear how important broadband can be to keep a rural area connected, whether that’s for businesses, councils or individuals trying to contact family. Blackdown Hills Parish Network has written to us asking us to circulate some information to our members and inviting you to a meeting discussing Project Gigabit.
The Blackdown Hills Parish Network has for some years represented the interests of the Blackdowns AONB community, concentrating on, among other things, raising awareness of the poor broadband provision in rural areas.
The government has set up ‘Project Gigabit’ which is designed to reach such areas as soon as possible, and £1.2 billion of broadband funding has been dedicated to a first wave of support for counties in England. Devon and Somerset did not receive any of this funding, yet all neighbouring counties have a promise of new funds from Whitehall. It is not too late to go back to government to ask for a revision of this decision.
The Blackdown Hills Parish Network are hosting an online meeting on Friday May 14th at 11am to learn more about what has happened, and asking for your support. You can book your free ticket for this meeting here.
Please download the letter below, provided by the Blackdown Hills Parish Network, for more information on broadband funding, Project Gigabit and the meeting on Friday 14th May.
20210505 Devon & Somerset broadband mtg invitation with link