In a previous blog this week I explained that a new estate in Papworth Everard, Summers Field, did not have super fast broadband and was unlikely to get it ever.
I launched a campaign and gathered together a group of residents. We all met last night with the aim of setting out an action plan of protest. We were going to picket the sales offices, generate leaflets and inform every potential buyer that if they ever wanted super fast broadband then don’t buy these houses.
But in the end none of this was necessary, yet.
Why? Well after a very busy 48 hours getting in contact with the County Council, BT and more importantly David Wilson Homes, a division of Barratt Homes it seems the issue might be resolved.
My blog attracted the press attention and in particular the BBC radio Cambs Chris Mann show. Within a few hours of the blog I was on the radio explaining the issue and of course the irony is that it was me who championed super fast broad band across the county when I was Leader of the Council.
I kept David Wilson Homes informed of all my actions and they were asked to comment on the radio.
Yesterday I took a call from the MD of David Wilson Homes (midlands) who has agreed to fix the problem by letting a contract directly with BT for a fibre cabinet for the estate.
It was a good positive conversation and I was reassured that his actions were as a result of him wanting to keep his customers happy rather than any actions on my part.
I have set up communications between CCC, BT and David Wilson Homes to ensure the upgrade goes as smoothly as possible.
Well done to David Wilson Homes for being customer focused, once the issue had been raised with them. Now we wait to see if and when it will happen.
My urban gorilla fellow residents can stand down for the time being 🙂
Nick Clarke 
You mention David Wilson homes quite a lot in this article, but the Summers Field estate is made up of Barratt Homes as well. Is this going to be arranged for the whole estate or just the half that bought from David Wilson? Any idea of a date for when this might be done?
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It is for all the houses on Summers Field. The current CCC and BT plan is for Papworth to have the fibre available around June this year. I hope summersfield will be included in this deadline.
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Thanks for the response Nick. That was the date from BT to upgrade the village anyway wasn’t it? http://www.papworthbroadband.org.uk/ – so just wondering now what difference your ‘campaign’ has made to the work that was proposed to be done anyway? Or is Summers Field not considered part of Papworth Everard for some reason?
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That is the point. My blog explains. DWH did not make provision for broadband, ducting, speaking to BT etc. the houses were not built when CCC and BT survey was carried out so not included in state aid plan so out of scope for CCC BT contract. Result never going to get Broadband. Slipped between cracks.
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Thanks for clarifying. No longer the forgotten estate then.:)
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Good work! (and you Tories ‘ll be sorry if me Socialist mates ever learn this level of getting-things-done)…
Is it true the UKIP wing of your movement, asked instead for a return to Quills and Ink?
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I suspect Labour, Lib Dems and UKIP would still be forming a committee to discuss what committees to form. The fate of Cambridgeshire County Council as of May I’m afraid thanks largely to UKIP and Lib Dems
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