Review aims to bring faster internet to remote villages

Richmondshire District Council is conducting the research to establish what needs to be done to bring broadband coverage to the often-isolated settlements which it represents.

Many residents living in remote parts of North Yorkshire are having to rely on outdated dial-up internet connections, which are excruciatingly slow and do not have the necessary bandwidth to send large documents and attachments online.

The committee's chairman, Coun Paul Cullen, confirmed that the council had been contacted by individuals in areas such as Upper Wensleydale and Swaledale which have no internet provision at all.

He added: "We want this review to provide a forum for the public to be able to make formal representations to internet providers to try and improve coverage across Richmondshire.

"A lack of broadband coverage is stifling economic development in rural areas, and we are keen to address this to ensure that Richmondshire is not left behind."

Members of the authority's scrutiny committee which is responsible for prosperity will meet on Wednesday, September 15, to discuss the framework of the review.

They are looking to collate the public's experiences while also linking in with technology experts, including representatives from the pioneering NYNET project.

The NYNET scheme to provide high speed internet coverage across North Yorkshire was announced three years ago, although many areas of the county are yet to be included.

Yorkshire has the lowest rates of internet connection in the country – 64 per cent of people are online compared with a national average of 71 per cent. Swathes of East and North Yorkshire still cannot get broadband at all.

A separate scrutiny review is also being launched to analyse the provision of physiotherapy services across the Richmondshire district.

The results of both reviews are to be published early next year.

For more information about the reviews and to take part, contact Richmondshire District Council's scrutiny officer, Penny Hillary, on 01748 827093.