2021 Report details for project: Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme

Project name Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme - there are 2 reports for this project: 2020, 2021
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Organisation DCMS (D5 ) - see all reports for this organisation
Report year 2021 (data is from March 2021)
Category Infrastructure - see all reports for this category
Description: The Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme (RGC) is testing innovative approaches to deploying full fibre in the most difficult to reach areas (initially identified as the "final 10%" of UK premises but subsequently extended to 20%) where the market alone is unlikely to deliver. The programme will establish new full-fibre 'hubs' to rural public buildings and offer vouchers from the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to stimulate demand from community groups and attract investment in eligible rural areas.
DCA (RAG) Amber/Green
DCA text: Compared to financial year 19/20-Q2, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating decreased from Red to Amber/Green. This is primarily due to the following factors: The programme has delivered its overarching learning objective which has informed the UK Gigabit programme, as well as generating contracted hubs and issued vouchers. This has been at a slower rate than projected, but has now provided the UK Gigabit programme with a significant pipeline for delivery within the Final 20%. The target for sites delivered by end 20/21 was revised down to 457 early in Q3 20/21, to reflect delivery progress in the contracts. The latest out-turn forecast for 20/21 is 266-302. The remaining contracted sites are forecast to be completed in 21/22. The hub site projects initiated in Q4 20/21 should be successfully contracted in Q1-Q2 21/22 and will form the first year of hub delivery under the UK Gigabit Programme.
Start date 2019-05-01
End date 2021-05-01
Schedule text Compared to financial year 19/20-Q2, the project's end-date remained scheduled to finish on 01 May 2021 This is primarily due to the following factors: In Q4 20/21 three projects completed BDUK Assurance to a point where they were ready to contract and deliver in 21/22: Highlands and NHS Scotland (Phase 2's), and North of Tyne. Also in Q4 20/21, two further projects completed BDUK Assurance to a point where they are now ready to procure, they will then be ready to contract in early 21/22.
Baseline £38.50m
Forecast £29.80m
Variance -23.00%
Variance text: The budget variance exceeds 5%. RGC uses two methods to increase fibre infrastructure and takeup: connecting public buildings to act as hubs and rural connection vouchers. The capital reduction is mainly due to reduced vouchers connections spend forecast where the impact of the change in accounting recognition point was difficult to forecast.
Whole Life Cost £75.90m
WLCost text: Compared to financial year 19/20-Q2, the projects Baseline Whole Life Cost decreased from 212.80m to £75.90m. This is primarily due to the following factors: The Budgeted Whole Life Costs reduction is largely due to a change in the cost recognition point for vouchers and more time taken to identify the right projects and estates for hubs, which slightly changed the profile of the pipeline. This was exacerbated by the effect of COVID and the prioritisation by suppliers on maintenance rather than new infrastructure. The change in the cost recognition point for vouchers was necessary due to a change in treatment advice received from the NAO with the result that voucher connections delivered in 2021/22 will form part of the UK Gigabit Programme and can be accommodated within that programme's budget given that the premises concerned are in the UK final 20%.
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Notes2:
Sourcefile IPA_2021.csv

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Acknowledgement: GMPP data has been re-used under the Open Government Licence.