Transforming economic performance - the wider benefits of NGA - Dr. Peter Cromar - Chief Executive, Walsall Regeneration Company - CBN NextGen Roadshow Birmingham - 22 April 2009

1. Next Generation Roadshow
Birmingham
22nd April 2009
Transforming Economic Performance –
The wider benefits of NGA
Dr Peter Cromar
Walsall Regeneration Company
Copyright Walsall Regeneration Company 2009

2. NGA - missing the opportunity
• International take up
• Pace and volume of change
• Lack of buy in by UK plc
• Establish ‘Regeneration Pilots’
Copyright Walsall Regeneration Company 2009

3. Response to the Carter Report
• Avoid complacency
• Benchmark against Far East & Europe
• Focus needs to be on economy, regeneration and
societal benefits, not ICT
• NGAB as an investment in infrastructure
• Contribution to wider sustainability agenda
Copyright Walsall Regeneration Company 2009

4. Convincing government and business
• Key communications infrastructure for success
• Future proofing new developments
• Aggregating public sector demand
• Digital and Creative Industries
• Digital Divide & Digital Inclusion
• Improve IT awareness for SMEs
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5. Setting the agenda
• Tomorrow’s business needs
• Focus on Skills, Enterprise and Business
• Think about new markets
• Expand existing markets
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6. Walsall – a Town for Enterprise
• Education
• Entertainment
• Health
• Housing
• Commercial
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7. Walsall Gigaport – moving forward
• Outline Planning Permission in
place
• Revised Outline Funding
Application to AWM
• Next Generation Access
Broadband
• Data Centre
• Developers
• Investment Prospectus
• Finance, Health, Digital Media
Copyright Walsall Regeneration Company 2009

8. Hitting the Sustainable Communities Agenda
• Regeneration of underperforming urban centres and
neighbourhoods
• Sustain strong and stable existing communities
• Promote social cohesion
• Use public sector assets more effectively
• Community Empowerment
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9. Bridging the Digital Divide
• Potential of fibre optics
• Skills and enterprise
development
• Better and more responsive
health services
• Community and social
cohesion
• Learn from Onsnet
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10. Conclusions
• Engage locally from the outset
• Focus on delivery not strategy
• Build on local strengths
• Investment not funding
• Think global, act local
Copyright Walsall Regeneration Company 2009