North Yorkshire Council ‘miffed’ at Countryside Alliance’s criticisms

It seems that despite the government’s efforts to push for upgrades in the rural broadband scene, things are still not moving as fast as they should. This was revealed in a study conducted by the Countryside Alliance. The group found that the four pilot schemes that were geared towards bringing broadband to rural areas was stalled.

These schemes were announced by Chancellor George Osborne in October 2010. The areas to be covered include Herefordshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The Countryside Alliance sent in Freedom of Information requests to these local councils. From the responses they received, it became apparent that Herefordshire and the Highlands and Islands Council were yet to spend the funds that they had for upgrading their broadband networks.

It was revealed that North Yorkshire had already spent £500,000 of their funds from the allocated £950,000. The funds were for NYnet, a service provider that is wholly owned by the council. However, the Alliance had expressed concern that the council lacked enthusiasm on the project and did not prioritise the project.

These comments were not taken very well by the North Yorkshire Council, who has hit back against the Alliance. The council’s director of finance and IT, John Moore, was “miffed” by the comments, although he agreed that the roll out process was “tortuous.”

Moore said: “We have done more than any other council. The further out into the dales and moors the less service you can get.”

Moore said that the council’s Connecting North Yorkshire strategy was proceeding as fast as the government allowed it to and that it would hit the deadline for the end of the procurement process. The council’s NYnet is already currently serving 90% of the council’s public sector network.

Moore continued: “You don’t build a motorway overnight.”

Head of communications at the Countryside Alliance, Jill Grieve, said that North Yorkshire’s efforts were “laudable.” She expressed that the alliance understood that the councils wanted to get the projects done right, but emphasised that it should be an “urgent” process as well.

Source – BBC