Establishment of Wi-Fi and Low Powered Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) in North Yorkshire

REPORT TO;           Gary Fielding – Corporate Director, Strategic Resources

DECISION DATE:   24th March 2021

SUPPORTING ANNEX;     None

PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Authority utilises its wholly-owned teckal company to deliver public WiFi and LPWAN networks across North Yorkshire, utilising funding from the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (Y&NY LEP) and the Harrogate Borough Council (HBC).

BACKGROUND TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION

North Yorkshire County Council was recently successful in a bid to the North Yorkshire & York Local Enterprise Partnership (NY&Y LEP) for £3m towards the installation of the Public WIFI and an Internet of Things network across the County.

A Key decision was previously submitted to procure Wi-Fi and Low Powered Wide Area Network (LPWAN) in the Harrogate Borough using a competitive procedure with negotiation procurement process. 

This procurement exercise was to be undertaken in partnership with the County Council using a £350k of grant funding secured (in September 2018) by HBC from the Leeds City Business Rates Pool.

Recent market engagement has suggested that (with one variant exception) procurement of new generation Wi-Fi technology and the required fibre backhaul across the Harrogate district’s three core towns would be unaffordable.

It was recognised by both HBC and the County Council that integrating the WiFi and LPWAN requirements into the LEP funded county-wide rollout would provide opportunities for economies of scale and technical consistency across a wide geographical area.

Working with NYnet to maximise the previous investment in Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) will significantly reduce the costs required for backhaul, therefore maximising the potential coverage from this funding.

Therefore, this report recommends awarding both elements of funded work to NYnet Ltd.

LEGAL AND GOVERNANCE COMPLIANCE

As per the Authority’s Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules, Rule 4.2 states that Directors shall ensure that a written record of the decision to procure a Contract is made in accordance with the Gateway Process where Rule 18 applies.  Where such a decision comprises a Key Decision under the Constitution, Directors shall ensure that it is entered on to the Forward Plan and treated as a Key Decision in all respects.

RECOMMENDATION

To award the work to deliver public WiFi and LPWAN networks to NYCC’s wholly owned teckal company, NYnet Limited.