Issue details

Extension of the Fastershire Partnership agreement with Herefordshire Council to 31 March 2024

 

 

To approve an extension to the Fastershire Partnership agreement between Gloucestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council to 31 March 2024. The aim of the Fastershire project is to improve broadband availability across the two counties to support businesses, communities, and individual households to become more digitally connected.

 

The Fastershire project is nearing its conclusion with 97% of the county having the opportunity to access Superfast Broadband. The proposed one-year extension to the partnership agreement will ensure the Fastershire Team remains in place to manage the closedown of existing Stage 3 Regional delivery contracts with Gigaclear and support the delivery of Stage 5 Fastershire community grants.

 

The report also seeks approval to extend the completion date for two contracts awarded to Gigaclear as part of Stage 3 of the Fastershire delivery programme. This change request is linked to a previous change request agreed in December 2021.

 

• Lot 2/3c - from December 2022 to December 2023

• Lot 3e – from September 2022 to June 2023

 

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Expenditure > £500,000 and 2 Divisions affected;

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Notice of proposed decision first published: 09/01/2023

Representations made

Any representations should be sent to:

Name: Ben Watts

Telephone: 01452 426771

Email: ben.watts@gloucestershire.gov.uk

 

By 5pm on 24 March 2023

 

Decision due: Between 27 Mar 2023 and 11 Apr 2023 by Leader of the Council

Lead member: Cllr Mark Hawthorne MBE, Leader of the Council mark.hawthorne@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Contact: Colin Chick, Executive Director of Economy, Economy and Infrastructure Email: colin.chick@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

Decisions

Documents

Background papers

  • The Fastershire Strategy 2019-2022, is available on the Fastershire website at: https://www.fastershire.com/assets/file/FSB%20Strategy/Fastershire_Broadband_Strategy_2019-22.pdf  
  • Cabinet decision – February 2017 - Contract Award: Fastershire Broadband Strategy Stage 3 - Lots 3C, 3D, 3E and 4  
  • Cabinet decision – December 2019 - Fastershire Broadband Strategy 2019 – 2022 and the incorporation the Stage 5 Community Grant offer into the Fastershire Delivery Programme:  
  • Individual Cabinet Member Decision – December 2021 - Programme Change to Fastershire Delivery