Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Director (Business, Development and Growth)

Mark Lester, Director for Business, Development and Growth, welcomed Portia Taylor-Black, Business Engagement Officer, to the meeting and presented the report which updated the Committee on the implementation of the recommendations made by the inquiry which reported to the Executive Cabinet in August 2017.

Officers had experienced difficulty in receiving any updates from LLC and BT and therefore the report contained the latest updates received from September 2018. It was agreed that officers would continue to try and get an update and a further monitoring report would be brought back to the Committee in March 2020.

Updates had been received internally for Chorley Council and highlighted numerous positives for Chorley including;

·         fibre broadband for all new developments

·         policy inclusion within the new local plan

·         voucher schemes for SME’s to support with fibre broadband installation

·         work undertaken to link to the Council’s digital agenda

·         digital skills training

·         the introduction of town centre and corporate/guest Wi-Fi

·         plans to extend the Wi-Fi range going forward as works take place to extend out fibre network (e.g. towards Primrose Gardens)

Following queries regarding the take up of the digital skills training, Members were advised that 1041 learners attended the training in 2018/19. Members thanked Simon Charnock for all of his hard work in delivering these sessions. Cllr Platt also gave special thanks to Simon for his work in extending the Wi-Fi at Euxton Community Centre to ensure it was accessible throughout.

Decision – That the update be noted.