Broadband rollout to the villages goes on - slowly but surely we are getting there

Work on the ground in Matfen has started and will hopefully be finished by mid October, barring any problems encountered during build. Planning and survey work has all be completed. Coverage is confined to the village and some of the immediate local area. Mat fen is the largest village that has not yet had its broadband upgraded. 

Of the other areas included in phase 2 we expect the following to be live by the end of 2016: 

- Slaley Hall and Slaley Park

- Blagdon 

- Longbyre, near Greenhead 

- West End Town on the end of Bardon Mill

- Dilston

- Gunnerton 

- Melkridge

- Oakwood 

- Sandhoe

- Tranwell and Tranwell Woods

- Medburn

- Horsley
There are some truly outlying houses and settlements that will not be included in Phase 2 +our campaign to get them better broadband goes on, not least as the County Council are now looking at phase 3.
As always if there are any areas of difficulty, if BT are not getting back to you or if there are innovative solutions like that which has been successfully trialled in Whittonstall then let me know. We are always happy to help.

Update and good news on the roll-out of broadband across rural Northumberland

Last week I had a detailed meeting with BT, and received an update from Northumberland County Council, on the roll-out of broadband across Tynedale.

Access to broadband is a vital amenity for any household in the modern era, but especially so for those in the more rural parts of the UK. In this, rural Northumberland is a prime example. We are almost at the end of phase 1 of the roll out, which has seen all major towns and significant villages covered. There are some teething problems on phase one in villages like Byrness village, but having seen BT this week, I am assured they are being fixed, which is good. Certainly the Byrness village problems are being fixed.

On phase 2 I received welcome good news on the progress of the roll-out. 35 further areas are currently in line to be connected, as part of the second phase of broadband expansion. Matfen is the biggest outstanding village to be done and this is first in the queue, and should be up and running around September.
Specifically this phase 2 includes:
NB the location is the exchange, and then the bracketed location is the site of the improved / extended coverage:
Allendale (Catton Beacon),
Bardon Mill (next to the exchange, Westend Town, and Ridley),
 Corbridge (Dilston), Haydon Bridge (Langley), Humshaugh (Gunnerton, Wall, and Colwell),
Haltwhistle (Melkridge), Hexham (Warden, Bridge End, Oakwood, Sandhoe, and Acomb School), Newbrough (Allerwash Hall), Ponteland (600 metres south of the exchange, Medburn, South Medburn, Prestwick Park Business Centre, and Horton Grange), Slaley (Nr Slaley Hall / Park, Ordley, Wooley, and Whitley Chapel), Stamfordham (Matfen, and Hawkwell), Stocksfield (New Ridley, and Hedley on the Hill), West Allendale (Carrshield), West Woodburn (Nr the exchange, East Woodburn), and Wylam (Heddon-on-the-Wall, Horsley, North Dunslaw Holm).

Of course there is a long way to go. Improved broadband speeds won't reach every corner of the UK overnight, but the direction of travel is clear. When we came to office as a coalition in 2010, only 45 per cent of the country had access to superfast broadband. Today, we have provided superfast broadband access to 90 per cent of the UK – some additional 4 million homes and businesses.

It is great to see some of this progress here in Northumberland, and moving forward I hope to be able to provide even more encouraging updates on the areas connected. I am acutely conscious that isolated farms, hamlets and smaller communities are still struggling in certain places. If you are one of those then please get in contact and I will see what I can do. There will be a phase 3 and the technology is improving all the time. But the cost of provision to truly outlying areas is also very significant, and there is not an unlimited taxpayers sum of money to pay for this upgrade to technology. The present limit is effectively £1700 per household of taxpayer subsidy but this is being reviewed.

Good meeting with the Northern Farming and landowner group - broadband, forestry, jobs and farmers issues all discussed at recent meetingue

The NFLG does a great job representing a diverse community of farmers, food producers, foresters and more across Northumberland and the wider North East.

Their specific feedback and monthly updates are invaluable to anyone like myself who represents a diverse partly very rural community. I simply cannot meet every single farmer every single week and rely on organisations like the NFU and the NFLG to provide direct assistance and updates.

Two weeks ago I sat down and did a multitude of Any Questions with the group. As always I came away better informed and keen to help some more. The Journal came along to cover the event and their detailed report is here:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/farming/mp-guy-opperman-tackles-rural-10320793

Broadband rollout for Northumberland as updated by BT - slowly but surely the constituency is getting coverage

As always please get in touch if there are gaps, not spots, failure to deliver by BT or the NCC and I will do what I can to expedite the matter.
BT Advise that the rollout of phase 1 is as follows:


LIVE areas since May 2015

Ovington

Kirkwhelpington

Otterburn village

Bellingham (3 cabinets)

Falstone

Kielder

W Woodburn

Newbrough

Slaley (W of village)

Humshaugh

Lanehead, Tarset

Catton, Allendale

Allenheads

Blanchland

Once Brewed / Twice Brewed

PLANNED areas June-Sept

Simonburn, N Tyne

Horsley, 

Slaggyford area

Halton Lea Gate

Longbyre nr Greenhead

Nr Coanwood, S Tyne (radio connection replacing long fibre build)

Comb Hill Rd, N of Haltwhistle

W Woodburn

Greenhaugh

Kirkharle

Redesmouth

Haughton

Stannersburn & Yarrow, nr Falstone

PLANNED areas Sept-Dec

Elsdon

Bingfield & Hallington

Blackheddon & the Highlander, nr Belsay 

Matfen Broadband update - pleased the village will get broadband in Phase 2 of rollout after long campaign

Matfen village is to benefit from broadband after a long campaign headed by local County Councillor Veronica Jones, helped by myself.

The decision that Matfen village will now be a key priority in the County Council's latest broadband roll out was made on 29th May. For far too long, Matfen has suffered from a very poor / no Internet. Whilst other towns and villages have begun to see improvements or resolution in their internet services, Matfen was effectively being cut off. That simply wasn't good enough and Cllr Jones and I pledged to work hard to deliver a solution. I am immensely pleased that such a solution has been found and BT will be bringing broadband to the village.

The problem the villagers of Matfen faced in getting online is because the village is at the end of a long connection to the local exchange ‘cabinet’ which is located in neighbouring Fenwick, rather than in Matfen itself. As a result, the County Council's first roll out of broadband upgrades had been unable to find a cost effective solution, given that the estimated cost exceeded £2000 per household. 

Councillor Veronica Jones has led the campaign locally, and said "This really is fantastic news for Matfen village. The hard work now really begins to make sure it is delivered. I will also be working hard to ensure those in more rural areas are able to benefit from the latest innovations to help improve their broadband service."


I should add that I am fully aware that there remain several villages and hamlets and not spots in the patch, which still need addressing. Several like Colwell and the Hexham Shire I am fully aware of and am working on but all information is good information.
As always please keep me and the local councillors informed. The broadband roll out is progressing and we are getting there, but all information helps because I can only act on matters that local people let me know about. 

Broadband Update - Phase 1 Roll Out continues as Northumberland gains greater broadband coverage & enhanced per house subsidy

Over the last 4 and a half years we have sunk millions of pounds of government cash into the roll out of broadband. Slowly but surely England's most rural county is getting better and more broadband coverage. This last few months the Northumberland County Council tell me they have done the following:

"Further cabinets have gone live in Corbridge, Wylam and Hexham meaning that all cabinets are now live and accepting orders for fibre in these three communities.

A further cabinet is live in Ponteland. This builds on the following areas that have been live for at least a month":

• Greenhead
• Gilsland
• Allendale
• Bardon Mill
• Great Whittington
• Haydon Bridge
• Haltwhistle
• Most of Ponteland
• Most of Prudhoe
• Riding mill
• Slaley
• Stamfordham
• Albemarle
• Stocksfield
• Wark
• Heddon on the Wall
  I have held specific meetings on the problems in Matfen, which I am ensuring is in Phase 2 of the roll out. For phase 2 we have managed to lift the permitted government subsidy per property from £1700 per property to £2500. As I have said to many constituents who have contacted me - I am aware that there are other hamlets, and outlying areas, that we are getting BT and the NCC to address.
  NCC expect the following communities to be connected by the end of 2015:
  -          Horsley
  -          Blanchland
  -          Whitley Chapel
  -          Allenheads
  -          Bellingham
  -          Greenhaugh
  -          Kielder
  -          West Woodburn
  -          Otterburn
  -          Rochester
  -          Byrness
  -          Elsdon
  -          Belsay
  -          Kirkharle
  -          Capheaton
  -          Kirkwhelpington
  -          Scots Gap
  -          Whalton
  -          Bingfield
  -          Hallington
  I was able to speak in last months broadband debate and my speech is here:
  http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-02-03c.194.0&s=speaker%3A24962#g222.0

Broadband debate in the Commons &update on where Northumberland CC have provided fibre broadband

The County Council have now given me an updated list of communities in West Northumberland that they say now have access to fibre broadband: 

-          Stocksfield

-          Heddon on the Wall [although there remain problems with parts of Heddon]

-          Parts of Wylam (more to follow by end of 2015)

-          Ponteland

-          Stamfordham

-          Albemarle Barracks

-          Great Whittington

-          Prudhoe

-          Most of Corbridge (more to follow by end of 2015)

-          Slaley

-          Most of Hexham (more to follow by end of 2015)

-          Parts of Allendale (more to follow by end of 2015)

-          Gilsland

-          Greenhead

-          Haltwhistle

-          Bardon Mill

-          Haydon Bridge

-          Humshaugh

-          Wall

-          Chollerford

-          Wark  

The NCC  add that "We expect Riding Mill and Barrasford to be live by the end of this month".

In addition to gaps in those communities listed above the NCC expect the following communities to be connected by the end of 2015:

-          Horsley

-          Blanchland

-          Whitley Chapel

-          Allenheads

-          Bellingham

-          Greenhaugh

-          Kielder

-          West Woodburn

-          Otterburn

-          Rochester

-          Byrness

-          Elsdon

-          Belsay

-          Kirkharle

-          Capheaton

-          Kirkwhelpington

-          Scots Gap

-          Whalton

-          Bingfield

-          Hallington

 I was able to speak in last weeks broadband debate and my speech is here:

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-02-03c.194.0&s=speaker%3A24962#g222.0

Clearly there are significant on-going problems with some places not listed above and I am trying to get bespoke solutions to problem areas like Matfen. Where you disagree with this information NCC and BT are giving me please let me know.