Northumberland Council 'making super-fast broadband a top priority'

Northumberland Council is committed to providing the broadband infrastructure needed by the region's homes and businesses, it has been claimed.

Speaking to the Berwick Gazette, councillor Roger Styring said that a recent Ofcom report showing the county has one of the worst performances in the country shows that steps need to be taken to boost provision.

Currently, homes and businesses enjoy 6.3 megabits per second, putting it in the bottom 25 per cent of the whole of the UK.

"Bringing super-fast broadband to Northumberland - to every home and business - is the county council's number one regeneration priority. It will have huge benefits to education, business and the rural economy," Mr Styring told the news provider.

Surrey County Council recently began tendering for the installation of super-fast broadband by the end of 2013.

Ofcom's interactive broadband map recently showed Surrey scores highly for its broadband metrics and that three-quarters of the population currently has access to a super-fast connection.