The campaign to bring ultra-fast broadband to Brighton and Hove is celebrating a “huge win” today after the Chancellor announced that the city has been selected to become “super-connected” as part of a £50m government scheme.

In his autumn statement to Parliament, George Osborne confirmed that Brighton and Hove will now receive funding for ultra-fast broadband, which many local digital and creative leaders think is vital if the city is to remain competitive in digital innovation.

Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas, who led the successful campaign to ‘Let Brighton Bid’ (1) for ultra-fast broadband which resulted in the government’s original scheme being extended to include smaller cities, said:

"The announcement today is huge win for the city and a well deserved boost for our outstanding digital and creative sector, which is already one of the most successful in the UK and delivering the majority of new local jobs (2).

"Becoming a super-connected city is vital if Brighton and Hove is to stay competitive and remain at the forefront of the technology revolution – and I’m absolutely delighted that the campaign, which has been strongly supported by Wired Sussex, Coast2Capital LEP and local business leaders, has been so successful in securing our fair share of this £50m funding (3).

"I’m also delighted that the other local MPs were able to give their support to the city’s bid for ultra-fast broadband, and that the Brighton Argus played such a key role in raising the profile of this important campaign.

"I now look forward to working with local digital and creative leaders and Brighton and Hove City Council to take this exciting initiative forward and make sure our city leads from the front in digital innovation."

ENDS

Notes

1)      http://www.carolinelucas.com/media/caroline-hails-campaign-success-as-50m-announced-for-broadband-bid.html

2)      Brighton and Hove has one of the biggest and most successful digital sectors in the UK – it is growing twice as fast as the national average. There are an estimated 23,600 jobs in the creative digital economy, representing around 18% of the local economy.

Photo: Caroline recently hosted a reception at the House of Commons for the city’s digital and creative industries, attended by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, which showcased local achievements and highlighted the success of ‘Let Brighton Bid’.