Fife Receives £400 From Government Broadband Fund

A government scheme to roll out super-fast broadband to rural areas has given Fife £400 from £2.4 million of funding handed out by Community Broadband Scotland.

Community Broadband Scotland's (CBS) remit is to extend broadband to communities that are currently outwith the commercial roll out plan. 

The scheme was launched in 2012 with £5 million of funding to help rural community groups looking to develop broadband coverage in their area.

Stirling received £28,500 in the scheme's first three years.

Communities in the Highlands and Argyll and Bute have received over £1.8m of funding from the £2.4m released. 
 
Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP, Murdo Fraser said: "Poor broadband coverage exists across the country and is not just restricted to the traditionally hard to reach areas. 

"Therefore it is disappointing to learn that communities in Fife have been able to access only £400 of funding from CBS which is just 0.02% of what has been made available so far.
 
"Communities in Stirling have also found it difficult to access these funds with only £28,500 going to areas within this region which works out at a paltry 1.18% of total funding.
 
"Residents within these areas are perhaps in the dark as to whether they can access this funding and the Government must make it clear that financial assistance is available to them.
 
"The Scottish Conservatives want to beef up the CBS fund and in our recently released rural policy pamphlet we made it clear that we would not only increase CBS funding but also open it up to individual households not just community groups."

Zoe Laird, Director of Community Broadband Scotland, said: “The figures which Mr Fraser quotes are for a little early seed funding and do not remotely reflect or represent the levels of work or investment happening in his area to get people connected.

"Community Broadband Scotland has been working with many local communities in the hardest to reach areas over the past year, and while it is true that very little direct capital funding has been needed yet, CBS has funded survey and planning costs to develop a number of potential projects.

"In fact, Fife is home to Scotland’s second aggregated community broadband project, following hot on the heels of the first - GigaPlus Argyll. The Fife Community Broadband Project will bring next generation broadband services to over 1,400 people living in more than 700 properties which were out of reach of the main Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband roll-out.

"CBS has committed up to £715,000 to deliver it, with additional funds coming through the community. Additional development support is coming from Fife Council."