Decision Details

That approval be given to fund £500k from the Transformation Reserve and to commence work on the implementation of the East Suffolk Smart Towns Project

That delegated authority be given to Strategic Director in consultation with Portfolio Holder to award contracts, expend the budget to deliver the project and investigate additional external funding sources which could replace or supplement existing internal funding.    

Whilst there are other business support programmes available, they are not specifically focused on digital business support. It would be difficult to achieve the level of engagement and transformation expected without a dedicated programme such as the one that the Smart Towns Project would deliver. 

The individual market towns could implement their own public wifi schemes but this approach would not realise the benefits of a planned, co-ordinated roll out e.g. economies of scale, consistent approach to data collection and reporting, encourage collaboration between towns through sharing of skills & experience, ability to compare data and the success of initiatives in one town with another. 

A do-nothing option would not address the longer term economic sustainability of our market towns, nor would it support the Covid19 business recovery plans.

1. That approval be given to fund up to £500k from the Transformation Reserve, depending on outcome of other external funding plans, and to commence work on the implementation of the East Suffolk Smart Towns Project.

2. That delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Customer Services and Operational Partnerships, to award contracts, expend the budget to deliver the project and investigate additional external funding sources which could replace or supplement existing internal funding.