TALLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF BROADBAND MEETING
Held on 6 December 2012
Present: Ian Ransome, John Atter, Justin Mackenzie, Mervyn Franklin, Ken Otter, Tom Klimes and Geoff Mayling
Apologies: John Brittain
1 Introduction – The meeting was arranged as a number of volunteers had come forward to take the broadband matter to the next stage. The parish council have submitted an “Expression of Interest” to DEFRA to obtain funding to bring fast/superfast broadband to Tallington. The next stage must be community led hence the request for volunteers to take over from the parish council. Messrs Atter, Mackenzie, Franklin and Brittain had volunteered. Ken Otter was invited to attend as he had submitted the “E of I” on behalf of the parish council. A number of opportunities explored to date were explained by Tom Klimes and Ian Ransome with Ken Otter offering technical details as follows:
2 Community Lincs – Ian Ransome of Community Lincs stated that he would assist in our bid for funding from DEFRA and in our alternative researches. BT are more than likely to be the successful supplier to 90% of homes in LCC. The alternative DEFRA fund will assist the remaining 10% of homes.
3 Cambrideshire BDUK bid for 90% of homes– Cambridgeshire will declare in January the 90% of homes included in the bid. Ken Otter stated that we will fall within the alternative Cambridgeshire DEFRA bid for 10% of homes as we are within 10 miles of the county boundary.
4 Lincs BDUK bid for 90% of homes – Lincs will declare in March the 90% of homes included in the bid and therefore we will know the extent of the 10% of homes that will fall within the alternative DEFRA bid.
5 BT Infinity – Tallington is served from Bainton exchange. BT will not install a cabinet next to Church House in Bainton Road. No cabinet so no BT Infinity.
6 BDUK – This is government funding of £14M match funded by LCC at £14M. This is for 90% of homes in Lincs. As we are not likely to be in the 90% this will not apply to Tallington.
7 RDBF – There is a national fund of £20M via DEFRA. We have already passed the first stage (E of I). When we know that we are in the 10% of houses in Lincs we can proceed to the second stage which has to be “community led”. The second stage documentation must demonstrate that there is a demand in the village and there is a willingness of residents to pay. DEFRA will contribute £300 per house. Because Lincs are late in defining the 90% and the 10% we have obtained an extension to the period for submitting the second stage documentation.
8 BT Net – This is for business’s and is fibre to the premises. BT is not able to bill and support premises. We would have to manage this, expensive!
9 BT Net at Copthill School – The school have bought BT Net for the school at 30 mbps. It maybe possible to beam it from the hill at Copthill to the centre of the village and then to houses via WiFi. Calcom an ISP (Internet Service Provider) may have a solution. Speed of 10 mbps up and down. Calcom indicate two levels of payment £8 per month for 5 mbps and £25 per month for 10 mbps. We need a minimum of 30 houses to sign up.
10 Gigaclear an ISP – Say they can provide fibre to the home but require 400 homes to sign up. No recent contact with Gigaclear.
11 Other ISP Suppliers – Ian Ransome stated that other suppliers are slowly appearing in Lincs.
12 Conclusion – Having concluded a résumé of the different options available to Tallington Tom Klimes asked whether anyone was willing to chair the committee to drive the project forward. No one came forward and one person decided to opt out completely. Ken Otter offered to take the project forward but it was stated that he was possibly not the right person. The meeting closed inconclusively with the parish council retaining the title of “Broadband Champion” for the immediate future.
13 Post Meeting Note – On 7 December Ken Otter sent an e mail indicating that he no longer wished to be involved with the Broadband project. Following a discussion with Ian Ransome of Community Lincs to check any conflict of interest Geoff Mayling will chair the committee with Tom Klimes, John Atter, Justine Mackenzie, Mervyn Franklin and John Brittain assisting. Tom Klimes to liaise with Copthill school in the immediate future and to continue contact with adjoining parish councils. Second stage DEFRA paperwork to be started at the next meeting.
14 Date of next meeting – to be arranged, but after Christmas.