Funding boost for Leicestershire fibre broadband

Additional investment has been announced for a project that will involve the rollout of fibre optic broadband across Leicestershire.

The county council revealed an extra £4 million will be spent on the initiative in order to deliver faster internet access to as many as 190,000 residents in rural communities.

A further £300,000 has been allocated by the local authority to improve connectivity in the most remote areas of the county, where the deployment of fibre broadband is most challenging.

This money comes in addition to the £3.14 million pledged by the government to boost broadband access in Leicestershire.

Byron Rhodes, leader of Melton Borough Council and a member of the county council's cabinet, said: "The Vale of Belvoir is a classic example of an area that could benefit from super-fast broadband links, giving its communities and businesses a real boost at a time of economic difficulty."

Around two-thirds of properties in Leicestershire can currently access super-fast broadband, according to Ofcom.