Public Meetings

Public meetings were held recently in Dentdale and Garsdale by Fibre GarDen, the community interest company that is working to bring a superfast fibre optic broadband network to the two dales. Andrew Fleck, the company’s chairman, addressed a total of 111 residents in Dent, Cowgill and Garsdale and explained the benefits of the proposed network and the likely costs of both building it and subscribing to it.

An expression of interest form was given to those present at the meetings and subsequently delivered to every household that had not been represented. Residents were asked if they would be prepared to buy shares in the project, and whether they would want to take the superfast broadband service when it was up and running.

The Cowgill and Garsdale meetings were particularly well attended, and the returns from the expressions of interest considerably exceeded expectations as nearly £200,000 was pledged in contributions.