Kent unhappy with broadband allocation

It seems that a number of areas are unhappy about the amount of broadband funding they have received from the national kitty, with Kent joining Scotland in terms of expressing its disappointment.

Whilst there are many local authorities and cities across the UK that are pleased about being awarded money from the kitty to make improvements with regards to broadband services there are some authorities and areas that have expressed disappointment over the amount of funding that has been allocated to them. The Scottish government has already expressed its disappointment and this has now been mirrored by authorities in Kent.

Kent was given a £10 million broadband boost from the funding but officials claim that this is nowhere near enough to carry out all of the work that is required to aid a successful broadband rollout.

Councillor Kevin Lynes, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: “The Government has earmarked about a quarter of what we need,” he added. “We now need to work together to secure the rest of the money. The announcement comes as the county council, Medway and Kent’s district councils are having to make huge budget savings, and must be seen against that background. Initially we will need to work alongside our public sector partners to see if we can find innovative ways of raising the remaining money needed. At the same time there is a great opportunity for businesses to invest in super-fast broadband, which is critical for the county’s economy to grow.”

However, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt told residents in the area: “Your council has a unique opportunity to bring decent broadband to every home and business in the county. We have done our part by allocating £9.87m to upgrade internet access in Kent. The UK is facing tough economic conditions but we’ve prioritised broadband because it is vital for growth and the businesses that will create new jobs. Now it is the turn of your local representatives to do their part to secure the economic future of Kent and ensure everyone can get online properly. The internet has changed the world. We cannot allow anyone in the UK to be left behind.”

Source – Kent News