Lead Member – Councillor Steve Charmley – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy

Report of the Director of Place and Enterprise

Contact: George Candler   Tel: 01743 255003

            RESOLVED:

i)     That Connecting Shropshire commences a formal OJEU ‘open procurement’ process defined as Phase 2b, as soon as practically possible, using the funding (£11.7m) and defined preferences (<15Mbps) as laid out in its recently adopted Broadband Strategy.

ii)    That the Director for Place and Enterprise, in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy be granted authority to agree the OJEU tender specification and evaluation criteria that will meet with the broadband strategic objectives as defined in the Local Broadband Plan Shropshire for 2016-2020 approved by Cabinet on 13 July 2016.

iii)   That a report on the outcome of the procurement process is prepared and presented back to Cabinet to seek a decision on a contract award.

The Leader presented the report setting out the recommended procurement approach for Phase 2b of the Connecting Shropshire Programme in line with the recent Broadband Strategy approved by Cabinet at its meeting on 13 July 2016. He commented on the difficulties within the county and made reference to the ‘hard to do’ places that needed to be picked up as part of the procurement process.  The Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy agreed the importance of Broadband and recognised the ‘not spots’ and slow speed areas within the county.  He assured Members that these issues would be addressed and those who had been shouting loudly about the poor provision had been heard loud and clear.

            RESOLVED:

i)       That Connecting Shropshire commences a formal OJEU ‘open procurement’ process defined as Phase 2b, as soon as practically possible, using the funding (£11.7m) and defined preferences (<15Mbps) as laid out in its recently adopted Broadband Strategy.

ii)      That the Director for Place and Enterprise, in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy be granted authority to agree the OJEU tender specification and evaluation criteria that will meet with the broadband strategic objectives as defined in the Local Broadband Plan Shropshire for 2016-2020 approved by Cabinet on 13 July 2016.

iii)     That a report on the outcome of the procurement process is prepared and presented back to Cabinet to seek a decision on a contract award.