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Super-Connected Cities programme:    
Eligibility criteria for Phase 2 proposals to the Urban Broadband Fund (smaller cities)
May 2012   

Our aim is to improve the quality of life for all through cultural and sporting activities, support the pursuit of excellence, and champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries.

Contents
Section 1: Introduction	4
Section 2: Super-Connected Cities Phase 2 - Eligibility	5
Section 3: Questions and answers	6
Appendix 1: List of eligible cities	8

Section 1:	Introduction
1.1.	Improving the UK’s communications infrastructure is vital for growing our economy and enabling us to continue to compete on a global scale.  Improved connectivity changes the way we do business, use and deliver public services and consume entertainment.  The UK currently has one of the most competitive broadband markets and one of the highest levels of take up across Europe, as a result of effective regulation and investment by commercial providers.
1.2.	The UK Government’s ambition is for the UK to have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.  The government also intends the UK to meet the EU broadband 2020 targets of 100% access to 30Mbps connectivity and 50% of households taking services of 100Mbps or more.  This will be achieved in two ways: ensuring the right regulatory and policy conditions to allow the market to invest in superfast broadband networks; and a portfolio of schemes to stimulate investment.    
1.3.	Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) is delivering three programmes to support the government’s broadband aims: the £530 million rural broadband programme; the £150 million Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP); and the Super-Connected Cities programme.
1.4.	The Super-Connected Cities programme has awarded £100 million from the Urban Broadband Fund (UBF) to ten of the largest UK cities, announced by the Chancellor in the Budget Statement 2012.  The Chancellor also announced a further £50 million for smaller cities (UBF Phase 2). 
Section 2:	Super-Connected Cities Phase 2 - Eligibility
2.1.	All cities holding a Royal Charter and having a number of dwellings greater than 45,000 (35,000 in Northern Ireland) may submit proposals. 
2.2.	Where an administrative city area covers a larger local government district – for example a Metropolitan or Non-Metropolitan District – it is the urban centre that is eligible, provided that it is of sufficient size.
2.3.	Those cities that were eligible to bid for UBF Phase 1 are not eligible to submit proposals to Phase 2.  As London (the Greater London Authority) was eligible for UBF Phase 1, the City of Westminster, as a London Borough, is excluded from Phase 2.
2.4.	Projects must create as large an area of contiguous connectivity as possible, offering:
•	Fixed ultrafast broadband at headline download speeds of at least 80-100Mbps (areas funded by UBF will add to, not overlay, the planned roll-outs by broadband suppliers, including BT Openreach and Virgin Media); and
•	High speed wireless (mobile) connectivity.
2.5.	Projects must be within contiguous urban areas inside the city boundary.  Rural areas should be covered by Local Broadband plans submitted to the BDUK rural programme.
2.6.	The amount of resources that cities bring to their proposals, in funding and other contributions, will be a factor in assessing the bids and there will be a presumption in favour of matched funding.
2.7.	UBF Phase 2 funding is only available for the financial year 2013/14 and so all projects must draw down and complete delivery within that year.
2.8.	Detailed bidding guidance will be published and available on the DCMS web site (www.culture.gov.uk) by 18 May 2012.
2.9.	A list of eligible cities is given in Appendix 1.
Section 3: Questions and answers
3.1.	Q.	Can two or more eligible cities submit a joint bid?
A.	Yes.  Provided that a single contiguous area of connectivity is created.
3.2.	Q.	Can an eligible city submit a bid jointly with another city already successful in UBF Phase 1?
A.	Yes.  Provided that a single contiguous area of connectivity is created.  The purpose of such collaboration would be to exploit synergies and enhance connectivity.  Phase 2 funding would go only to the city eligible for Phase 2.
3.3.	Q.	Can an eligible city submit a bid jointly with another urban area, such as a nearby town?
A.	No.  UBF Phase 2 funding is only available to eligible cities.
3.4.	Q.	Why have you chosen the Chartered Cities?
A.	In the UK the legal definition of a city is one with a Royal Charter.  The criterion sets the number of cities eligible to bid to a manageable number, limiting the number of cities who will work to put together a proposal but fail to be allocated funding.
3.5.	Q.	Will the Government keep the proposals confidential?
A.	Not necessarily. Requests for disclosure will be considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. We know that certain data, typically regarding the roll-out plans of broadband providers, are likely to be protected by Non-Disclosure Agreements.  If a city authority wishes any part of its application to remain confidential it is asked to flag this up with a clear indication for us to take into account in deciding whether the information should be released. Wherever possible we would then alert the authority before releasing such information.
3.6.	Q.	When will we know which cities will receive funding?
A.	The winning cities will be announced in the Autumn Statement 2012.
Appendix 1: List of eligible cities
Aberdeen		
Brighton & Hove	
Cambridge	  	
Chelmsford	 	
Coventry		
Derby			
Dundee		
Exeter		  	
Gloucester	  	
Kingston upon Hull	
Leicester		
Londonderry / Derry
Newport	  	
Norwich	  	
Oxford		
Perth		  	
Peterborough	
Plymouth		
Portsmouth	  	
Preston		
Salford		
Southampton		
Stoke-on-Trent	
Sunderland		
Swansea		
Wolverhampton	
York