More on SFBB drop in session

In answer to NigelY's Monday Chatbox post, I also attended and here's what I learnt. Nothing!

I too live in an "under-evaluation" area off cabinet 3 (Paddock Lane). The information I got at first was basically pre-programmed PR speak telling me what I already knew about generalised criteria for connection – and a load of "maybe", "possibly" and "it depends" type platitudes.

I pressed for specifics about what the evaluation had shown for my area, to be told they don't have it. It's carried out under contract by BT and they say they, and us, who ultimately pay for it can't see it.

This means that if BT's assessment is flawed in any way you can't challenge it. BT recently
admitted they seriously over-estimated the roll out costs for rural areas, meaning we could well have been denied in the first roll out on a flawed cost-benefit analysis.

Apparently a further evaluation was commissioned in November (not sure what that will say that they first didn't – but I guess it does effectively allow them to kick it into the long grass).

I believe it's also bull for Connecting Cheshire to say they can't have access to BT's data. If they
pay them to do an assessment, then they own the data – I worked in the public sector dealing with contractors and I know this to be the case.

I'm considering putting in a Freedom of Information Act request to see the assessment – I have a
suspicion it's more subjective than objective.

Whilst dismissing "conspiracy theories" (his words) as to why certain similarly populated outlying areas seemed to have been cabled up, he did concede that "political factors" may play a part. That I interpret as meaning the money gets diverted to where they need the votes, or where there is influence.

I was also told that the presence of SMEs was a factor, but then that business such as farms, hospitality and retail were excluded from their definition, which pretty much rules out most
rural businesses.

As posters on chatbox have indicated, the whole exercise yesterday seemed pretty futile from my perspective.

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