Culture Secretary announces £7.7m for Marches superfast broadband
Culture Secretary Sajid Javid MP was in Telford today to announce a £7.7m extension to the Marches LEP's £75.3 million Growth Deal.
The funding will support the roll-out of superfast broadband across the region. The extension, which brings the LEP's deal with Government to £83 million, was part of a swathe of announcements of further funding for the UK's 39 LEP regions.
The LEP has also received a commitment from the Government to support the partnership's Higher Education priorities in the Marches.
Mr Javid formally announced the extra £7.7m when he met with LEP Board members, local authority partners and broadband project leaders earlier today. He also heard from Shrewsbury businessman Rollo Rigby, of Severn Partnership, about the difference being broadband-enabled has made to the productivity of his company.
Mr Javid said: “Today we are hearing about the information super highway and that's somewhere Government has a role. In areas where the commercial sector hasn't rolled out broadband, either at all or not fast enough, that's where the Government can get involved.
“This is £7.7m from the Local Growth Fund which will help bring superfast broadband to over 39,000 residences and businesses across the region, and help generate at least 500 new jobs.
“I think that underestimates the instant difference the rollout will make to existing businesses, not to mention the start-ups which can happen on the back of this investment.”
Welcoming the Secretary of State to Telford, Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council and LEP Board Member Kuldip Sahota said: “We are progressing with major projects supported in our initial Growth Deal signed earlier this month. The first year includes major road schemes in Telford and Hereford, opening up key employment and housing sites.
“But today's announcement marks the extension to the official funding which supports another key priority, the rollout of superfast broad across the Marches.”
Mr Javid's visit followed comments from Prime Minister David Cameron about the Growth Deals, saying the funding was giving local communities the power and the money to unlock growth and development.
Mr Cameron said: “And this is happening right here in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, with more money announced today for key projects to boost the local economy as part of the multi-million pound expansion of the Government’s Growth Deals.
“And because the money will be in the control of a partnership of local community, business and civic leaders it means it will go on the things that really matter to people and businesses here.”
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said a “quiet revolution” was under way in the Marches and across the country, as Growth Deals “signal the death of the culture where Whitehall calls the shots.”
He added: “I’ve seen for myself the difference it makes to give Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and the Wrekin more power over skills, over business support, over infrastructure spending.”
LEP Chairman Graham Wynn added: “Our £75.3m Growth Deal, officially signed this month, focused on significant transport projects which will help us tackle barriers to economic growth in the Marches.
“But digital, as well as physical, connectivity is vital if the region is to achieve its potential and so we welcome this additional funding to help us move forward with our plans for further high speed broadband across the region. Tens of thousands of businesses will benefit, and those growing businesses will create hundreds of jobs.
“We welcome the opportunity to a continuing dialogue with Government with the aim of securing further support for our identified projects.”
The Marches Growth Deal includes £12.8m for 2015/16 which will go to key projects in Telford and Hereford which will deliver up to 6,000 jobs and 3,000 homes. Nearly £42m has been earmarked for follow-on projects across the wider Marches region over the following five years.
The deal brings together different funding streams designed to support local growth in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin and will generate up to £20 million in private investment.
The first two projects being supported by the deal will be the £17.4m Telford Growth Package and £33.5m Hereford City Centre Transport Package, which will have guaranteed funding for 2015-16 and 2016-17.
A further £41.83 million has been provisionally allocated for projects planned for 2016-17 onwards, including the £10m Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package and £5.2m Telford Eastern Gateway scheme.
Also part of the 2016-2021 deal are the Oxon Link Road, Telford Bus Station redevelopment, the South Wye Transport Package and more than £3m for skills projects in the Marches.
