The Fastershire project works across Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to commission a broadband network where commercial providers will not invest. Capital funding is provided by Herefordshire Council, Gloucestershire County Council, national Government via BDUK and other sources - in this instance The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Herefordshire Council is the lead authority for Fastershire and as such, manages all of the procurement activity for the project wherever that activity is targeted across the project area.

The “Fastershire Procurement Outcome for European Agricultural Development Fund” decision of 23/7/2018 laid the foundations for a contract that was awarded to Voneus in November 2018 valued at £712,000 (with a change tolerance up to £940,20 to increase coverage) to deliver 5 clusters in Gloucestershire.

Voneus withdrew from the contract, electing to fund themselves the clusters they won commercially rather than using the available subsidy. Based on legal and commercial advice the funds deemed for Voneus could be reused to reach more premises in the outlined intervention area that were not bid for during the original procurement.

Airband submitted a tender for 4 of the Gloucestershire clusters (G5, G6, G7 and C3 in the Forest of Dean). The submission has passed all of the minimum thresholds and scored 54.63%.