Superfast broadband scheme hopes to create 478 jobs

More than 900 small and medium-sized businesses across Warrington and Cheshire are set to benefit from a £1.5m investment in promoting fibre-optic broadband.

The Connecting Cheshire Superfast Business service hopes to create about 478 jobs across the region in the next two years, and aims to add almost £19.5m to the economy.

It will be delivered by Peninsula Enterprise and Groundwork Cheshire to help eligible businesses learn about and exploit the opportunities brought about by digital technology and fibre-optic broadband.

The scheme is funded by the ERDF and Connecting Cheshire and will help SMEs to benefit from good connection speeds or those in areas where superfast broadband will be installed.

Connecting Cheshire recently signed a £28.5m contract with BT to extend access to high-speed fibre optic broadband to 96 per cent of all premises by 2016.

Terry O’Neill, Leader, Warrington Borough Council, said: “Superfast Business will be a boon for our town and will feed and complement our regeneration and growth plans set out in our framework Warrington Means Business.

“Warrington currently tops the national tables as a hotspot for businesses and business growth. Superfast broadband is the modern lifeblood for trade and industry and so will not only ensure that we maintain our economic position but allow the local economy to continue to grow, protecting and creating jobs”.

Sir Howard Bernstein, vice chair of the North West European Regional Development Fund local management committee, said: “This programme will help local businesses make the most of superfast broadband, improving performance and helping to create and safeguard jobs. It will provide a major boost to the Cheshire economy and the North West European Regional Development Fund programme is pleased to be supporting it financially.”

Ian Gent, director at Peninsula Enterprise, added: “We are excited to have the opportunity to deliver a high-quality superfast broadband business support service in Cheshire.”

At the heart of the service is a new website: www.ccbusiness.co.uk with an online knowledge area that holds a selection of top tips, guides and the latest thinking from industry experts on digital technology and opportunities for businesses.

Eligible businesses will have access to fully-funded support, including a team of expert advisers, a programme of events on hot topics offering inspirational insights and practical solutions and specialists with niche expertise.

Businesses can visit www.ccbusiness.co.uk or call 0300 123 1696 to find out about the benefits of superfast broadband and associated technology and to confirm if they are eligible to access the fully-funded business support package.

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