Latest news with #AdamKent
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Yahoo
Councillor bemoans 'shocking' mobile black spots
A survey of mobile signal coverage in Worcestershire has revealed "shocking" black spots, a county councillor has said. Signal trackers were placed on bin lorries belonging to all six district councils in a project which began in October. Cabinet member for economy and skills Adam Kent said preliminary data suggested there were huge gaps in coverage. "What I've seen from the initial maps is even in built-up areas… There's absolutely no coverage at all," he said. As well as trackers being placed on bin lorries, residents and businesses in Worcestershire are invited to take part in a survey on the council's website. Mr Kent said mobile coverage had "definitely degraded", partly due to the gradual 3G switch-off. "They've switched off 3G in a lot of areas and I think it's had an adverse effect on communications for the residents of Worcestershire," he explained. "You could expect, I suppose, in some rural areas, if you've got no houses for miles around, that there might be an issue. But we're talking about very built-up areas… that just aren't covered." Mr Kent added the issue went beyond people struggling to make phone calls. "We've expanded the Worcestershire on-demand bus service and the whole point of it is an app that tells you where the bus is. "It's not going to work brilliantly well if we can't get this mobile phone coverage up." He called for more collaboration between mobile providers to reduce gaps in coverage. "It may well be that Three will work at your house, but if you drive down the road the signal will drop but Vodafone might work on that route," he said. "It's actually impossible for customers to navigate now." The project was funded with support from the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR), which was awarded £3.75m of government funds to support the growth of wireless technology. The county council said it would use the data from the survey it collects to lobby the government, network providers and telecoms regulator Ofcom to improve connectivity. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Phone signal trackers added to bin lorries Village has had no phone signal for three months Villagers bemoan 'appalling' phone signal Worcestershire County Council RSPAWIR
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council told what it can do to help Worcestershire's farmers
FARMERS are asking the county council for more support with planning and digital connectivity. Worcestershire's county advisor for the NFU spoke to councillors at an economy scrutiny panel on Thursday (January 23). Emma Hamer said: 'In terms of digital connectivity, I acknowledge great things have been done and I understand we are over 98 percent connected now in the county but it does tend to be the most rural farmers who don't have digital connectivity. 'We want the government to offer all types of broadband, and not just fibre.' Adam Kent, Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for economy and skills, said: 'We've just won £41.9m from the government to improve broadband coverage across Worcestershire.' READ MORE: I sat aboard a tractor for Worcester's farmers' protest READ MORE: Farm tax 'threatens Worcestershire's rural landscape' The NFU representative said farmers would also welcome more support in planning. 'Sometimes farmers and growers put in planning applications and they are very delayed before they can be looked at,' she said. 'Sometimes there does seem to be, not a policy of enabling. There seems to be reasons to say no rather than to say yes. 'We'd like to encourage making food security a material consideration, to ensure the public have good strong domestic food production. 'Sometimes there are things farmers are asked to do through regulation to improve the facilities, things like slurry handling and planning can hold that up.' She said in National Landscapes, previously called Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, 'sometimes visual impacts are considered above productivity and businesses'. 'It would be welcome if in the new unitary authority, the culture is given greater consideration.' She also called on the council to back farmers trying to increase their incomes using diversification schemes. 'A lot of farmers don't make an awful lot of money from farming and rely on diversified incomes,' she said.
