Published on Wednesday 17 November 2021
Last week on 9 November, full council approved a £5.87million investment in a 70.5km gigabit fibre network to enable and empower residents to interact with future digital council services as part of the BCP Smart Place programme.
The investment forms part of the first project from the council’s £50million Futures Fund. This fund was set up to deliver and demonstrate BCP Council’s regeneration vision and ambitions including supporting and investing in local digital and physical infrastructure, the seafront, rejuvenating Poole and acting at scale.
Councillor Philip Broadhead, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration, said, "We talk a lot about infrastructure, and when we do people often think about the "traditional" things – roads and pipes. However, making sure people and our whole place is digitally connected is a vital piece of infrastructure too, and this investment in a new gigabit fibre network is a key part in making sure that our digital pipes are fit for the future.
"We’re determined to make our whole place one of the most modern and accessible in the country, including having a 21stcentury council delivering services in the best possible way. This investment will help unlock that – facilitating a new, exciting way for the council, businesses and residents to connect. Furthermore, with our Smart Place team leading this rollout, we have some amazing plans for the future in terms of how we can use this core network to remain at the forefront of our new, connected world."
A key priority for the council’s Smart Place programme is for digital connectivity in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole to be available, affordable and of a high quality. This advanced digital infrastructure also enables ‘smart’ technologies to be deployed providing digital solutions, helping to accelerate economic, social and health benefits in the future.
In a recent consultation 76% of respondents said that creating digital solutions to tackle social issues should be a priority in our area. The Smart Place programme aims to delivers solutions that improve the lives of local people, these include connecting assistive living devices to help keep people independent in their homes for longer, creating and retaining more value in the local economy through improving business productivity and innovation and complimenting the climate and ecological emergency through monitoring local air quality.
The new fibre network also supports the Council’s wider Transforming Travel programme through the delivery of a ‘digitally connected’ highway network. This opens up the opportunity for far more effective traffic management as well creating opportunities for new transport technologies such as connected and self-driving (autonomous) vehicles. The network also has the potential to improve connectivity to council-owned homes and properties.
Councillor Philip Broadhead continues, "There are a whole host of economic and social rewards that this network will bring. Firstly, it will enable significant improvements to council services such as housing, adult social care, tourism and waste management. But it also opens new opportunities for businesses. I can’t wait to work with our Smart Place team and to collaborate with our partners to attract further commercial investment into gigabit fibre, to unleash the full potential of this technology.
"This is exactly what the Futures Fund was created for – investing in the infrastructure of the future. I am truly excited to see what opportunities the gigabit fibre network will unlock for our residents, businesses and our communities."