Could Growth Deal cash fund digital connectivity projects

The Growing Mid Wales Board, made of cabinet members from Ceredigion and Powys County Councils, were told at a meeting on Wednesday, February 3, that the feasibility study will delve into the issue, and will suggest answers.

Digital Connectivity has been identified as one of the eight areas for possible investment in the Vision for Growing Mid Wales.

A report to the board suggested that there is a need to understand where the effort should be made.

The report also points out that Mid Wales Growth Deal has specificobjectives to grow the economy.

Because of this, the money might be best used to rev up interest and leverage extra investment into a comprehensive digital connectivity programme.

Mid Wales Growth Deal strategic manager, Carwyn Jones-Evans, told the board that he is “quite excited” by this project.

Mr Jones-Evans said: “We commissioned a company called Spirit Public Sector to do a two phased piece of work.”

He explained that up to the end of March, Spirit Public Sector would be talking to all the public bodies and private firms who provide fibre and digital connectivity about the problems and solutions.

This would form a basis of a “scoping document” which could be the basis of strategic outline business case for investment at a later stage.

Mr Jones-Evans said: “We’ve given them quite a broad task really to begin with, if we had an endless pot of money how much would it cost to solve Mid Wales’ connectivity problems.

“We all know that digital is a very high priority.

“When the leaders held their meeting with the Economic Strategy Group in December, time and again digital connectivity came up from as a blocker.

“It’s evidently of importance as we recover from Covid-19 as well, things have changed in the way we work.”

He explained that finding out the cost would be the starting point and estimated that it could be £400 million to £500 million.

Mr Jones-Evans said: “We noted from the start that the funding for the growth deal is a down payment.

“Our tactic here is to outline what the entirety of the problem is, to try and provide some costings around that.”

This would then form the basis of generating interest in the project which could lead to discussion with digital infrastructure providers such as BT Openreach

“If we have to do an initial project within the funding, what would that look like? said Mr Jones-Evans.

A full Mid Wales Growth Deal agreement is expected in the next 12 to 18 months.