Agenda item

Purpose of report

1.    The report is for information only and provides the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness with a further update on the Full Fibre to the Home City Fibre Infrastructure works and details the progress made across the Portsmouth City Council's housing property portfolio since the last update provided on 24^th January 2022.

2.    The Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness places on record a note for thanks to the City Fibre and Building Services team for their continued work and extending the scope of the project to Portsmouth City Council's owned council housing blocks within Havant Borough Council's area.

The Cabinet Member noted the report which is for information only and not subject to call-in.

Meredydd Hughes, Assistant Director (Buildings) introduced the information only report.

The purpose of the report was for information only and provided a further update on the Full Fibre to the Home City Fibre Infrastructure works and detailed the progress made across the Portsmouth City Council's housing property portfolio since the last update provided on 24^th January 2022.

He noted item 4.6 of the report which detailed that over the last 12 months over 283 PCC owned blocks of flats across Portsmouth had been connected to the full fibre network allowing just under 2500 dwellings the capability of receiving full fibre.  Future plans were to bring another 2000 dwellings online to receive full fibre in 2023.

He also drew attention to item 4.9 regarding the extension of the full fibre roll out work to PCC residents in Havant, including Crookhorn and Wecock Farm.

Resident's consortium

In response to the Resident Consortium questions and comments, officers clarified:

·         City Fibre have their own promotion and marketing materials to bring on new customers.  The service had had a number of articles in Housetalk which highlighted the advantages of the full fibre platform to encourage take up amongst residents.  The local Managing Director of City Fibre had presented at a recent Residents Consortium meeting about the advantages.

·         In relation to the cost, Meredydd and Councillor Sanders had fed back to City Fibre on the key issue of making sure there is no digital exclusion for residents in local authority accommodation.  The service are working closely with City Fibre and their partners regarding social tariffs or internet lite packages that could be offered to increase affordability for all.

·         PCC had not invested any money in the scheme, just officer time working with City Fibre to ensure works are happening in compliance with PCC's requirements.  As more of the city came online it was likely that there would be a ramp up in terms of promotion and work on ensuring providers rent the lines and increase take up.

Members' questions

In response to members' questions, officers clarified:

·         That to encourage residents to take up the City Fibre options, the message was taken to the Resident's Consortium and the winter edition of Housetalk, which contained a half page editorial comment and text regarding social tariffs and how they could be applied for.  An article had been placed in Flagship and officers met with City Fibre on a quarterly basis during which inclusivity for all and social tariffs were discussed.  Officers ensure that City Fibre push their suppliers and internet providers on this issue.  Meredydd likened City Fibre to a rail network with City Fibre providing the tracks and the internet providers providing the trains to run on that track.

·         In relation to technical issues, PCC has a liaison manager working with City Fibre, meeting with them once a month.  City Fibre provide a detailed plan and installation packs in terms of work and technical issues.  Any works undertaken in the blocks is signed off and agreed to. The Liaison Manager also signs off the works on completion. 

Members' comments

Councillor Wemyss noted the benefits of increasing the fibre optic provision in the City.  He also noted the switch over from the copper network to Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) which uses fibre networks such as City Fibre for all telephone communications over the internet.

Councillor Wemyss also commented on and commended City Fibre for having 70% of their workforce living in and around Portsmouth and 25% of the workforce being veterans.

The Chair's summing up

Councillor Sanders noted all the provisos discussed and welcomed the report.  He was pleased on the amount of local people and veterans employed by City Fibre and was happy to note the report.

The Cabinet Member noted the report.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:20 and restarted at 11:31.