Decision - Research and Innovation Fibre Ring Project

This report updates members on the progress towards delivery of the Research and Innovation Fibre Ring project. The report seeks agreement to changes in the way the project is delivered to keep it within budget. The report also updates members on the strategic and community wealth building benefits of the project, and also seeks agreement to participate on some city-wide digital development workstreams with Wired Sussex.

RESOLVED: That the Committee – (i) Noted the work done to date to deliver the RIFR project using Getting Building Fund money from government, including the progress made to date on the 5G test bed and further notes the procurement options that have been explored to deliver the fibre; (ii) Agreed to the council joining the Cooperative Network Infrastructure ( CNI ) and Brighton Digital Exchange co-operatives; (iii) Agreed to use £310,000 of the Getting Building Fund grant, to commission CNI to use their status as a Communications Provider to ensure access to existing Openreach infrastructure, and notes that this fibre will be delivered broadly in line with the map shown at Appendix 1; (iv) Delegated authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture to enter into the agreements necessary to deliver the fibre element of the RIFR ; (v) Noted how the RIFR project fits into a wider sub-regional digital delivery programme at a Greater Brighton level, as set out at paragraph 3.19, and that Brighton & Hove will work with the Greater Brighton Economic Board to maximise the strategic benefits of the new fibre; (vi) Agreed to commission a £25,000 (maximum) programme of digital education and support to maximise the benefits of the RIFR project to the wider digital economy of the city and to the city's communities – as set out at Appendix 2.

The report updates the committee on the Research and Innovation Fibre Ring project, which will provide municipally controlled fibre-optic connectivity and a 5G test bed in Brighton & Hove. It recommends using existing Openreach infrastructure through co-operative delivery arrangements and commissioning Wired Sussex to help communities and the digital sector benefit from the project.