Decision details
Appointment of Point Topic to provide the specialist and technical resource required to progress the Northumberland Park (NP) fibre high-speed broadband project, to the next key stages.
Decision Maker: Head of Programme Management
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Decision:
The Head of Programme Management, Regeneration
and Economic Development approves under Contract Standing Order
8.02 the appointment of Point Topic to provide specialist and
technical resource required to progress the Northumberland Park
high-speed broadband project - for a total value of £9,990
(excluding VAT).
Reasons for the decision:
• The decision is required to progress
the work required to implement Cabinet decision for the Council to
address the poor internet connectivity and digital exclusion in the
North Tottenham area – and thereby maximise the opportunities
and potential associated with high-speed broadband connectivity for
the benefits of its residents, businesses, and community under the
Government’s Strategic Investment Pot (SIP) funding, to
improve high speed fibre infrastructure and connectivity to council
and community buildings in the Northumberland Park (NP) and the
wider North Tottenham area. The funding was secured as part of the
multi-borough Local London partnership bid.
• The cost of technical support and project management is
included in the overall funding approval.
The specialist resource/consultant will support the Economic
Development Manager in the delivery of the project – and
their role will include:
• Expert broadband advice and provision of technical data,
mapping, support and analysis for the different elements of the
project.
• Producing and completing the technical content and templates
to allow soft market testing and the mini competitions needed to
identify the appropriate broadband supplier for each element of the
overall project.
• Liaising with current and potential full fibre suppliers in
the borough, including (but not limited to) Openreach, Virgin
Media, Community Fibre, Hyperoptic and G. Network.
• Providing data, mapping and support to allow efficient
integration of planned deployments of gigabit capable fibre and
infrastructure.
• work with LBH’s designated officer/s to support the
measurement and reporting of progress and issues as the deployments
start, expected in early 2022.
• Tracking project, impact and collating broadband coverage
updates and co-ordinating with other broadband suppliers in the
borough
The NP high-speed broadband project will contribute to the delivery
of the Borough Plan’s “Economy” Priority, in
particular Outcomes 3a, 13 and 16, and contribute to the Good
Economy Recovery Plan activities and outcomes.
Alternative options considered:
The Council could choose not to award this
contract. This has been discounted as:
• There is no expertise or capacity in the Council to provide
such a service.
• To do nothing would result in the Council not securing the
technical resource and expertise to deliver the NP high-speed
broadband scheme, which LBH has secured £800K Government
funding for, and which it is contracted to deliver specific
outputs.
Publication date: 21/10/2021
Date of decision: 20/10/2021