Member Article

Over £7 million cash boost for North East broadband roll-out

Broadband rollout schemes in the North East will receive £7.16 million of Government investment on a match-funding basis, the Culture Secretary Maria Miller has announced.

The extra funding will be divided among local authority areas, including: £430k go to Newcastle; £2.18 million to North Tyneside and South Tyneside Council; £3.9 million across Durham, Gateshead, Tees Valley and Sunderland and £650k across Northumberland.

Mrs Miller said: “Superfast Broadband will benefit everyone in the North East - whether they need it for work, to do homework or simply to download music or films.

“Thousands of homes and businesses now have access and it is helping people with their everyday tasks. We want to make sure that Britain is one of the best countries in the world for broadband, and the extra £250 million we are investing will help ensure communities around the UK are not left behind in the digital slow lane.”

Digital Durham, the £24 million local authority and BT partnership scheme to bring high speed broadband to the County, is one of the receipients of the extra cash.

Durham County Council cabinet member for Corporate Services, Jane Brown, said: “Access to fast broadband speeds is still a problem for parts of the county, especially in the more rural areas. It is great news that we are truly underway with the programme.

“There is still a lot more to come though and we are chasing every opportunity to extend fibre broadband coverage to more businesses, homes and communities across Durham.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .