Liverpool City Region (LCR) Combined Authority were building a 200+ km underground fibre network running through all six local authorities and delivered through a Combined Authority (CA) Joint Venture partnership with a private company. The purpose was to create a new telecommunications network infrastructure to provide ultrafast broadband connectivity across the region. The initial network will consist of four ducts which will run through all 6 Local Authority Areas and would connect LCR to external national and international networks. An initial route has been proposed for Wirral which took in our major regeneration areas. In time it was planned that the network would be expanded to other parts of Wirral. The plan was to build the initial network in 3 years starting from mid-2021. As part of the build Wirral Council had been asked to sign up to a “Dig Once” policy, to install ducting at the same time that we undertake road, cycling and walking schemes. This approach can reduce the cost of deployment by as much as 50%, minimises disruption to road and public transport users and helps avoid any future embargos in specific locations across LCR. The CA team have secured £6.39m from LCRCA’s Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) for Dig Once. The CA team will assess each “Dig Once” opportunity and decide if the particular scheme met their criteria. If it did, they would fund the authority to put ducting in the ground as part of the project delivery. Once the work was completed ownership of the ducts and fibre network will revert to LCRCA. 

Project Officer John Williams described the proposed network and its expected benefits.

Members praised the scheme which appeared to be a positive move which would help the Council reach a number of goals including digital connectivity and environmental protection. The need for a digital network had been highlighted during lockdown as people and children did their work from home.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the Dig Once Collaboration Agreement and the Inter Authority Agreement be approved and

(2)  the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to arrange the execution of the documents on behalf of the Council in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.