Businesses in Peterborough recovering from coronavirus crisis to get digital support

Businesses recovering from the coronavirus crisis can get some serious digital knowhow, thanks to Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority.

Plans to roll out ‘smart’ technology to market towns across the area are also being considered by the CPCA Housing and Communities Committee on Monday, June 22.

The proposals for two additional workstreams form part of the Connecting Cambridgeshire Digital Connectivity Programme.

The new Keeping Everyone Connected workstream includes a bid for a business grants scheme using EU funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises transition to increasing reliance on digital technology.

Match funding of £430,000 from the CPCA will be used to support an application to the EU European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) for the business grant scheme to be launched later this year, if approved. This work will also support greater digital inclusion across communities, in particular focusing on ensuring that social housing residents are not excluded from future-facing digital provision.

Public access wi-fi is being rolled out to market towns and village halls to improve connectivity, and the fourth phase of the superfast broadband rollout is also under way.

In addition, a new ‘Smart Places’ work package will trial ‘smart’ technology in several market towns over the next 18 months.

Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough James Palmer, said: “We're all working together to help the region move from rescue to recovery. The Connecting Cambridgeshire programme supports our commitment to delivering outstanding digital connectivity to support economic recovery, respond to local needs and improve people’s quality of life.”

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