Preston City Council has received approval from full council to become a founding member of Preston Digital Cooperative (PDC).
The co-op has been set up to promote digital inclusion across communities in the city through the deployment of digital infrastructure including areas of free wifi, and development of digital skills.
In an increasingly online society, digital infrastructure and skills are required to access more public and private services, says the council, which warns that digital exclusion can lead to social isolation and economic deprivation.
People who are digitally excluded face greater challenges entering the job market, in receiving the best offers and value for money for products and services online. This intensified during the Covid pandemic, and many have been left disadvantaged, impacting those most acutely in lower income and deprived households.
Addressing this, the council hopes, will help to tackle rising prices and the cost-of-living crisis of recent times.
The co-op is being set up as a way to bring together public, voluntary and private organisations working to improve access to connectivity, devices and skills across Preston for digitally excluded people and communities. It will use UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) to help provide free connectivity in some areas, refurbished devices for residents that need them, and free digital skills training.
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Cllr Matthew Brown, leader at Preston City Council, said: “As a growing number of its own services are now digitally based, it is important that the Council leads by example. The work of the Preston Digital Cooperative will help to tackle the digital divide and improve digital inclusion, ensuring that our residents have equal access. It also fits with our community wealth building principles of anchor collaboration and democratic ownership.
“Once established, Preston Digital Cooperative will provide free public wifi in selected areas of the city, access to devices for those residents who do not have them, and basic support for residents who lack digital literacy skills.
“The greatest impact will be on the health and wellbeing, and life opportunities of our residents, which as a council we want to address.
“In the longer term we will explore how Preston Digital Cooperative can be an alternative, ethical provider in the market working with and supporting our local communities and businesses.
“The council’s overarching aim and vision for the UKSPF monies was for it to be used to build pride in place and increase the life chances of its residents.”
Shaun Fensom, chair at Community Broadband Network, added: “We are excited to be working with Preston City Council and other organisations across the city to set up and be involved with Preston Digital Cooperative. It is an opportunity to develop and build on our work in other regions across the UK for more than 20 years.
“The co-operative will work on innovative ways to source and distribute devices and enable free wireless broadband connectivity in selected places across the city.”
