Does your village or parish have problems with a slow internet service? Do local people need faster broadband to meet business, social and leisure needs?

The Hertfordshire Local Broadband Plan plans for a much better broadband infrastructure, in line with government aims to ensure that ‘superfast broadband’ (speeds of 24/30MB plus)  is available to 90% of the UK by 2015, with all areas receiving a minimum of 2MB (per second). There will be a few places which are ‘hard to reach’ and where it is not considered viable to install this infrastructure through mainstream plans. For these areas, the government has launched a fund so that communities can prepare their own plans to install superfast broadband: the Rural Communities Broadband Fund (RCBF).

NB The next round for expressing an interest in the RCBF is expected to open in April 2012. It is not currently clear whether there will be further rounds.

If broadband speeds in your area are causing you concern and you wish to discuss how to take this matter forward, email: emily.butterworth@cdaforherts.org.uk or phone:  01707 695517.

Click here for a checklist gives you an overview of what is required for the first stage of the RCBF application process: