Bids are now invited for the second wave of funding for Broadband UK with a £20m fund focussing on rural broadband and inviting bids from Local Authorities and Local Economic Partnerships in England.  “We want communities and local authorities to have a say in how these networks will be built,” says BDUK.  “By putting the people who will eventually use the infrastructure in a position to shape it, we can bridge the gap between competition and investment.”

Rural broadband is a key issue across the SouthWest particularly for linking communities and stimulating innovation

BDUK will work with English local authorities and the devolved administrations to define the precise details of each project. Projects will then be subject to procurement competitions run by the relevant local authority or other public body, with BDUK providing support and advice. However, there have been issues raised on the first round – for example Computer Weekly reports that BT is the only bidder in Cornwall, while in Lancashire bidders had to have turnover over £100m – and BDUK’s ability to oversee up to 3000 projects: See more here

The closing date for bids is 18th April and the bid documents can be downloaded here (http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/7906.aspx) or via the Local Authority Resource Centre.

Related articles

• UK government announces £50m council fund for faster broadband (v3.co.uk)
• Superfast broadband plans get £50m government boost (telegraph.co.uk)
• UK pushes on with broadband plans (bbc.co.uk)
• Remote villages to get broadband thanks to new £20 million fund (telegraph.co.uk)