Broadband 'vital to Cheltenham success'

The election race in Cheltenham is heating up, with candidates highlighting ongoing broadband deficiencies in the area as chief priorities to address should they win at the polls next month.

BBC News reports Conservative election candidate for Cheltenham Alex Chalk argued the rollout of superfast broadband infrastructure across the town is now essential for the local community to excel.

Mr Chalk stated that despite work getting underway in the area in December 2013 to provide such services, issues over connectivity remain for many residents and some part of the town are not even covered.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat candidate Martin Horwood also revealed that "gaps had been left" in the rollout of services and providers BT and Virgin have done little to address the problems of local residents in recent months.

As such, both candidates have set broadband improvements for the whole of the town high on their agenda, although it remains to be seen whether or not either individual secures enough of the popular vote to put their policies into action.