A DECISION to exclude a Dales community from a broadband roll out has been called in for scrutiny.

Last month, Cumbria County Council’s Labour and Lib Dem Cabinet agreed to remove Dent from the main roll out of superfast broadband under the Connecting Cumbria project.

The idea was to allow for a community project, Fibre GarDen, to deliver its own network, which plans to service more properties than the current plans from Connecting Cumbria.

However, Tory councillors have raised concerns about the decision and have asked for further scrutiny before the final decision is reached. Conservative Libby Bateman, county council member for Kirkby Stephen and rural broadband champion, said, “I’ve been a supporter of the Fibre GarDen project from its inception as it is the ultimate ‘build and benefit’ community broadband project.

"However, I have concerns about the deliverability of the project and that issue doesn’t appear to have been considered during the decision to remove the area from the main Connecting Cumbria project."