Agenda item

(Asset Management & Economic Development Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-003-2017/18).

(1)        That the content of the Digital Enterprise Programme brief be agreed and the cross-border, cross-sector collaborative approach be endorsed;

(2)        That the use of the External Partnership Fund up to a maximum of £25,000 to make an additional contribution by the Council as determined by the level of funding secured from partners to commission a co-funded digital strategy for the wider West Essex / East Herts area or Digital Innovation Zone be agreed;

(3)        That the proposal to allocate up to £45,000 from the Epping Forest Economic Opportunities Fund towards the examination of options for the provision of free town centre wi-fi in one, some or all of the District’s town centres, and, subject to consultation recommendations, the procurement of the most appropriate model and service provider be agreed;

(4)        That any additional investment required be subject to a further report to Cabinet;

(5)        That the expression of interest in further investment in the superfast broadband network sent by letter from the Portfolio Holder for Technology and Support Services to BDUK / Essex CC be endorsed; and

(6)        That, subject to the success of the grant application to BDUK, a further report to Cabinet be submitted seeking agreement to invest further in the local superfast broadband programme and, if agreed, to submit a bid for funding as part of the 2018/19 budget setting process.

The Portfolio Holder for Technology & Support Services presented a report on the Digital Enterprise Programme.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the District had seen considerable investment in the enhancement of its superfast broadband infrastructure and network capability in recent years. With coverage scheduled to reach approximately 97% of the District by June 2019, focus had now shifted to how the Council could maximise the strategic return from this investment for its residents, businesses, visitors and partners. The Digital Enterprise Programme sought to pull together a number of key inter-related digital projects that were planned for the District and, in some cases, its local authority neighbours, as well as public and private sector partners in order to achieve a coordinated set of benefits in the most efficient and effective way.

The Portfolio Holder detailed three key project elements of the overall programme so as to ensure visibility of the projects and formalise the approach that was being taken to develop these work streams. First of all, a cross-sector, cross boundary digital strategy would be commissioned to develop a coordinated picture of the digital place that existed in the District and across the wider partnership area, and to establish a coordinated set of infrastructure needs and aspirations of the partners which might assist private sector providers in building their business cases to address these needs. Secondly, the programme would explore the potential to establish free town centre wi-fi throughout the District’s town centres to support economic development and increased levels of digital engagement or connectivity. Finally, the proposed additional investment in superfast broadband to take the level of coverage across the District closer to 100% of homes and business premises was outlined; including the use of £45,000 from the Epping Forest Economic Opportunities Fund and an application for further grant funding from Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) / Essex County Council.

Cllr Mohindra, as Finance Portfolio Holder, offered his support for the proposals, and Cllr Grigg, as Portfolio Holder for Asset Management & Economic Development, reminded the Cabinet that the Council had struggled to find applications for the Economic Opportunities Fund and therefore she was happy to support these proposals.

Cllr Philip stated that he was not in favour of recommendations (3) and (4) as he was yet to be convinced of the benefit for the provision of free public wi-fi and did not think that the Council should be involved in this. The Councillor felt that the provision of free wi-fi in town centres was now less important and perhaps the Council should consider the provision of free wi-fi in the larger villages instead. The Portfolio Holder clarified that he was looking to facilitate the provision of free wi-fi in the town centres through sponsorship with third parties, rather than its direct provision by the Council.

Decision:

(1)        That the content of the Digital Enterprise Programme brief be agreed and the cross-border, cross-sector collaborative approach be endorsed;

(2)        That the use of the External Partnership Fund up to a maximum of £25,000 to make an additional contribution by the Council as determined by the level of funding secured from partners to commission a co-funded digital strategy for the wider West Essex / East Herts area or Digital Innovation Zone be agreed;

(3)        That the proposal to allocate up to £45,000 from the Epping Forest Economic Opportunities Fund towards the examination of options for the provision of free town centre wi-fi in one, some or all of the District’s town centres, and, subject to consultation recommendations, the procurement of the most appropriate model and service provider be agreed;

(4)        That any additional investment required be subject to a further report to Cabinet;

(5)        That the expression of interest in further investment in the superfast broadband network sent by letter from the Portfolio Holder for Technology and Support Services to BDUK / Essex County Council be endorsed; and

(6)        That, subject to the success of the grant application to BDUK, a further report to Cabinet be submitted seeking agreement to invest further in the local superfast broadband programme and, if agreed, to submit a bid for funding as part of the 2018/19 budget setting process.

Reasons for Decision:

The Digital Enterprise Programme had the potential to contribute, directly and indirectly, towards a number of the strategic aims and objectives within the Council’s Corporate Plan for the period 2015-20, including:

·                  Objective 1 (c) To explore appropriate opportunities to make savings and increase income through the shared delivery of services with other organisations, where such arrangements would provide improved and / or more cost effective outcomes; and

·                  Objective 2 (b) To increase opportunities for sustainable economic development and new local employment in the District and make Council services easier to access.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not manage projects under the proposed Digital Enterprise Programme in accordance with adopted programme management best practice; however, this would run the risk of failing to identify and manage the programme’s aims and intended benefits in the most effective way possible. It would also miss the opportunity to share programme management skills and methodology that were being utilised and developed elsewhere within the Council.

The Council could seek to pursue all of these projects in its own right and without the involvement of neighbouring authorities or the input of private sector providers. However this would impact on the District’s ability to go ‘further, faster’ and, in addition, this would artificially limit the scope of any digital projects or initiatives and potentially miss out on the opportunity to develop coordinated solutions for joint areas of need.

The Council could also choose to not pursue this programme of digital projects, leaving all future developments to be determined by market forces, upper tier council authorities or national government initiatives. However, this would risk the District falling behind if its location, assets or digital opportunities were not appealing in their own right and would put its residents and businesses at a significant disadvantage. This was particularly relevant to the non-provision of public free wi-fi , which could put our town centres at a comparative disadvantage to other nearby town centres and would limit the local authority’s scope to deliver innovative smart technologies and initiatives as an add-on to the wi-fi capability.