The report makes recommendations regarding the award of contracts in relation to the funding award from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) for the Marches and Gloucestershire Viable Clusters Broadband Project.  This project is part of the delivery of the Fastershire Broadband Strategy to provide superfast broadband in Herefordshire (and for this project working with neighbouring counties).  The proposals also relate to adaptations to the procurement process to ensure that as much of the European funding as possible is invested in expanding broadband coverage.

The recommendations would allow for:

·         Additional coverage in areas not covered in previous broadband deployments;

·         Increase the percentage of coverage of superfast broadband in the county to become one of the most fibre connected counties in the country;

·         An innovative solution to deploy broadband to hard-to-reach areas;

·         Works with new suppliers for deployment of fibre broadband;

·         Uses external funding to support the financial investment already made by Herefordshire Council and national government in broadband deployment.