Somerset to get e-government broadband boost
Kable
Published: 25 Jan 2005 11:10 GMT
Councils, businesses and community organisations in Somerset are to take part in a £2.3m broadband project aiming to increase the take-up of e-government services.
The project, to be launched on 24 January, has the support of Michael Eavis, organiser of the Glastonbury Festival, and is funded by Somerset's five district councils, the South West Regional Development Agency and the European Social Fund.
Known as Connecting Somerset, the two year project aims to increase broadband usage in the region's private sector, help local communities make better use of IT and boost usage of public e-services.
Along with Somerset CC, organisations involved in the project include the Exmoor Coast & Countryside Partnership, Mendip DC, Sedgemoor DC, Somerset Learning & Skills Council, South Somerset DC, Taunton Deane BC and West Somerset DC.
Eavis, who has encouraged the use of broadband in running his festival, is launching the project at the Somerset College of Art and Technology.
Alan Gloak, Somerset CC's portfolio holder for community, regeneration and development, said that the target is to have almost all of the region's households and businesses using broadband technology by this summer.
"Technology can place business in the key national and international marketplaces whilst working from Somerset with its high quality of life," he said.
"By the end of July 99.7 percent of Somerset households and businesses will be connected to a broadband equipped exchange. With this £2m investment the effective use of these new technologies will be critical to the future of Somerset's economy and society."
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