Corporate Report Format To the Mayor and Members of the Cabinet Town Centre Wi-Fi Solution Relevant Cabinet Wards Affected Key Decision Member(s) Cllr Tony Corden Town K1302 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. This report considers whether a Doncaster town centre Wi-Fi solution would be of benefit to Doncaster s people and place. The town centre has been identified in particular due to it having the highest footfall, the largest offer of shops, the market, businesses, facilities, attractions and events in close proximity to each other as well as its excellent travel links and therefore the potential to increase the number of visitors to Doncaster. That is not to say, other areas of high population in the borough such as Thorne and Mexborough could not be included in the future if this initiative is found to be beneficial. 2. The following are considered to be the reasons why this initiative should be considered seriously: Connectivity to technology has more or less become an essential utility for many anytime and anywhere often influencing where people and families choose to spend their time; There is a percentage of Doncaster s population who cannot afford but would like access to technology, a fact recently supported by a digital survey across Doncaster to inform Doncaster Council s Digital Strategy - Don t Wait In Line, Get On-line. This initiative would not solve the whole problem but would assist; As well as this initiative contributing to Doncaster Council s aspiration for Doncaster to become a more modern forward thinking place operating digitally and assisting everyone to do so, it also very much aligns Doncaster with the government s national digital agenda, in particular the superconnected cities programme and smart cities; If we are to succeed in improving Doncaster s town centre economy where businesses can and want to locate, grow and employ local people, this could be said to be one of the key foundations that could assist; If we are to attract people to visit, spend time and spend money in Doncaster, it needs to appeal to all population groups, not just those shopping and spending money. This can often need to be other activities to keep a family occupied to increase the time spent and business generated such as using technology; Data collected annually indicates that the number of visitors to the wider town centre, excluding the Frenchgate Centre, has been in decline since
2007 with an average 28% decrease and 67.2% never visiting Doncaster in the evening; Emerging national trends suggest many town centres are increasingly switching to more leisure and social activities with more cafes, restaurants, food outlets, bars and community spaces. Although there is no specific local data to support, access to free technology would surely support the development of this wider more social economy; and Whilst many people have their own personal access to 3G or 4G connectivity via a mobile provider, these still have data limits costing more if exceeded or further data needs to be purchased on a pay as you go basis. This report details the proposed area of the town centre where free access to Wi-Fi has been considered, current town centre footfall figures, what would potentially be required to implement and where as well as the delivery options, costs, risks, implications, potential timescales and other local and national case study information. It is also informed by conversations with south Yorkshire region colleagues, key organisations in the Town Centre, technical suppliers and experts. It also takes account of the Council s financial position and environment. EXEMPT REPORT 3. This report is not exempt. RECOMMENDATIONS 4. The recommendation of this report is for the Council to enter into a concession contract with a private sector technical supplier to grant them the right to use its assets for installation of communications network equipment as agreed in return for the provision of a free Doncaster Town Centre Wi-Fi solution to all visitors of the Town Centre. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE CITIZENS OF DONCASTER? 5. The availability of free Wi-Fi in Doncaster Town Centre will enable the people of Doncaster to use smartphones, tablets and laptops for free whilst visiting the town centre. It will also provide those with Wi-Fi only devices with the ability to use them outside their homes or for those with 3G or 4G connectivity, reducing their risk of going over their data limit incurring extra cost or having to buy further pay as you go connectivity. For some, it may provide the only means of access if they do not have connectivity available in their area. BACKGROUND 6. Wi-Fi is a local area wireless computer networking technology that allows electronic devices to network. The difference between 3G or 4G and Wi-Fi and to inform why Wi-Fi is the solution being proposed, the following explains the difference and rationale. 3G and 4G are cellular data services available from mobile companies. The service covers very large areas with customers purchasing plans that allow them to download a specific amount of data each period. This is great for simple internet activities such as checking email and using social media because it tends to be rather slow. Wi-Fi is an internet signal that is location based, meaning the signal is broadcast across smaller areas, such as a home, airport, coffee shop etc. What Wi-Fi lacks in range, it makes up
for in speed as it is superfast so great for data intensive activities such as skype, streaming video, downloading music etc. A successful Town Centre initiative would need to serve all these types of activities, hence Wi-Fi is the most appropriate solution for this proposal. 7. Appendix 1 details the area chosen (outlined in blue) to assess the potential business case for a 24/7 free of charge Wi-Fi solution in Doncaster Town Centre. This is based on what is felt to be the main town centre due to the perceived footfall it attracts and starts as soon as visitors leave the train or bus station in Duke Street edging onto the Frenchgate Centre who have their own free wifi offer implemented September 2014. It then follows the main town centre street Market Place, covers the whole market and car park and then back down Market Road, Silver Street before going up Hall Gate and across covering the Civic Square area and back down Waterdale meeting back up at Duke Street. 8. The main objectives for delivery used for business case purposes to inform this report are: fast and reliable connectivity for residents and visitors; the ability to support the population of the town centre at any time, (as at March 2015, the town centre population excluding Frenchgate is reported to range from 16,624 on a Wednesday to 22,962 on a Saturday), Appendix 2 provides further detail; seamless connection once initially signed up around the town centre; cost effective installation, maintenance and support; unobtrusive technology equipment (access points); safe and secure access for all users; a flexible and scalable solution; 24/7 technical monitoring, maintenance and support; an ability to retrieve data such as footfall, level of use, shopping habits and behaviours; and a platform for providing information and advertising. 9. Using the information provided, a technical survey has been commissioned to assess what would be required in the town centre for the purpose of this report. The survey detail is too large to include with this report and is obviously very technical. In summary, the survey estimates that if 35 Wi-Fi access points were installed across the proposed area of the town centre using CCTV camera poles and street lights, this would probably provide a solution fit to serve the current town centre population and overcome any potential interference or signal challenges. Appendix 3 shows the potential location of the two types of access points recommended. It should be noted this is one recommendation only and not necessarily where the access points would be located. Also, if the initiative were to be progressed, the street lighting and CCTV services would be involved with care taken for the solution to be as unobtrusive as possible. 10. The survey also assessed the potential interferences in the town centre which may impact on the performance of the solution and discovered approximately 350 separate Wi-Fi facilities already in Doncaster Town Centre including residential and commercial provided by many different businesses both for their own use and/or for the public. Others included microwave ovens which are one of the most common Wi-Fi interferers and are present in just about every home and business. Microwaves can be particularly destructive to a Wi-Fi network and several sources of microwave oven interference were detected emanating from
several of the food shops in the centre. Another interferer are Bluetooth devices. More and more devices are taking advantage of Bluetooth technology due to the increasing demand for wireless as a cable replacement technology. While Bluetooth and Wi-Fi can coexist, there is an impact on the Wi-Fi network although steps are being taken in the technical world to minimise. Some Bluetooth activity was detected during this survey but not enough to affect the proposed wireless network. Finally, a further interference was identified from wireless sound and video transmissions used for security purposes by stores but again not enough to affect the Wi-Fi solution, however all these together will have an impact and need to be resolved as part of the final solution. 11. Conversations have also been had and continue with key players in the Town Centre for the purpose of: Consulting with them to let them know what we are considering; and To ascertain whether it is possible or if there is any appetite from them to join up potentially separate solutions to provide a more seamless experience to town centre visitors, a wider audience for advertising and providing information as well as access to key data to more accurately inform footfall and visitor behaviours. 12. A further piece of work has been to consult with others including our South Yorkshire colleagues and research other implementations as well as models of delivery. Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley do not currently have free town centre Wi-Fi solutions, however that is not to say they are not considering them. The current national, European and local digital aspirations driven by society and the tech revolution are hard to ignore and have become an expectation rather than an innovative scheme. Barnsley previously had a 3 year successfully implemented offer which was originally just a 2 year research and development exercise from which detail and lessons learned have been obtained to inform this report. The rollout of the Broadband Delivery UK Programme which will now provide 99% superfast broadband coverage across South Yorkshire with ultrafast for key business areas is already also progressing and has now started in Doncaster. Free Wi-Fi is the next foundation that will add significant value especially for those that cannot afford connectivity throughout South Yorkshire. 13. Other conversations to inform the report lead us to believe there is an appetite from private sector technical suppliers to consider proposals like these. It is estimated that the commissioning and implementation would take 6-9 months with the solution hopefully available for use from summer 2016. Appendix 4 provides detail about the Wi-Fi element of the national Superfast Cities Programme and some other case studies. OPTIONS CONSIDERED 14. The following options have been considered: Option 1 Do not progress the implementation of a free Town Centre Wi-Fi service. Option 2 - Provide 24/7 free access to a town centre Wi-Fi service via one of the following: a. An in-house Council implemented, supported and maintained solution including the funding of running costs to provide a continuous service.
Estimated cost of 360k capital to implement and 92k annual running costs. May have a life of up to 5 years. b. Implement in partnership via a concession contract with a private sector supplier where the partner provides a free Wi-Fi service across the town centre in return for utilising town centre public assets for communication network purposes. Nil cost if there is interest from the private sector. c. Implement in partnership via a contract with the private sector with the Council funding the implementation up front and the private partner using a commercial model to fund support, maintenance and running costs. Estimated cost of one-off 360k capital for a probable initial period of 3 years before a refresh/review may be required. d. Same as c. but with the Council taking advantage of one-off European Regional Development Funding if successful to fund the implementation. 0 cost but would potentially delay the implementation by about a year and may not be successful. Option 2b is the recommended option. It is felt that 2d is very uncertain and would delay the implementation and benefits for too long and technology is evolving so quickly although it could be an option if 2b Is not successful. Options 2a and 2c are not recommended because the Council cannot afford within the current financial environment. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDED OPTION 15. Option 2b is recommended because it is felt it will provide or assist in achieving the following benefits: Gaining digital status evidencing that Doncaster is a modern and forward thinking place that wants to be better connected and a place of innovation and creativity; We would benefit from external expertise with experience in implementing large scale Wi-Fi solutions; We would be sharing the risk of fluctuating capacity and running costs; Attract more visitors to Doncaster and increase footfall; Attract businesses to Doncaster; Provide a mechanism to provide targeted marketing for local businesses; Supporting local businesses and the market to increase spend, footfall and time spent in the town centre by enabling shoppers to go on-line for free to get a second opinion on purchases, communicate with friends, family or work and raising awareness of discounts and promotions; Provide the ability to understand and influence visitor behaviours; Providing tourist information to attract and keep visitors such as where to stay, what s going on, where to visit, weather, journey times and arranging travel; The opportunity for residents who cannot afford or do not have connectivity at home to gain access to the internet for free; The ability for residents to reduce their data costs and/or stop them going over their agreed data limit for their set monthly tariff; and
Empowering residents by providing the ability to report problems in the town centre such as litter, lighting and food hygiene on-line via their mobile device for free also reducing the costs of the Council. IMPACT ON THE COUNCIL S KEY OUTCOMES 16. Outcomes All people in Doncaster benefit from a thriving and resilient economy. Mayoral Priority: Creating Jobs and Housing Mayoral Priority: Be a strong voice for our veterans Mayoral Priority: Protecting Doncaster s vital services People live safe, healthy, active and independent lives. Mayoral Priority: Safeguarding our Communities Mayoral Priority: Bringing down the cost of living Implications Making free wi-fi available in the town centre will make it a more attractive place for businesses to be based and for people to visit. Access to technology can reduce retail costs, increase access and increase social activity. People in Doncaster benefit from a high quality built and natural environment. Mayoral Priority: Creating Jobs and Housing Mayoral Priority: Safeguarding our Communities Mayoral Priority: Bringing down the cost of living All families thrive. Mayoral Priority: Protecting Doncaster s vital services Council services are modern and value for money. Working with our partners we will provide strong leadership and governance. Free wi-fi in Doncaster Town Centre will help reduce the cost of connectivity to technology for Doncaster residents. This proposal supports Doncaster s aspiration to be digital and reduce the cost of delivering services.
RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS 17. The risks associated with this initiative are: Not achieving the required level of connectivity to serve the level of population in the town centre; There may be no interest from private partners in a concession contract; and A company may not be willing to commit to a sustainable contract. 18. These will be mitigated by the following: The Council will ensure the specification for the concession contract is robust and monitored; Not progressing if a private partner is not found; and Not progressing without an appropriate robust contract in place. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS 19. Section 1 of the Localism Act 2011 enables a Local Authority to do anything which an individual may generally do. There is no legal obligation upon the Council to provide this facility but it may do so if it wishes. Any contracts entered into to provide this facility will require procuring in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules and EU Procurement Regulations. Further legal advice will be required as this project progresses. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 20. This report proposes the implementation of a free to use Wi-Fi service across the town centre, in partnership with a private sector partner via a concession contract. The partner would meet all implementation and on-going running costs, in return for utilising town centre public buildings and assets for business purposes. Upon receiving interest from a private partner, the terms of the concession contract should be fully explored to determine if the terms are suitable to the council, with particular regard shown to the use of public buildings and assets by the business partner. It should be noted that neither the current capital programme nor the annual revenue budget currently includes any funding allocation for this project. Should a private partner not be found to enter a concession contract on terms suitable to the council, the project would not be fully funded and as recommended, should not commence.
HUMAN RESOURCES IMPLICATIONS 21. Whilst there are no specific HR implications for the Council, improving wi-fi connectivity will have a positive impact on economic activity and employment within the town centre. TECHNOLOGY IMPLICATIONS 22. A town centre Wi-Fi solution can be implemented technically but it can provide physical and technical challenges, in particular in built up areas such as towns and cities. It is also not easy to predict and maintain the required speed and capacity ensuring interference is minimal and access covers all types of devices. Having the right delivery model to implement and cover the running costs, ensuring appropriate controls and security, keeping content and information up to date on splash pages all bring their own challenges. The monitoring and continuous review of the final solution will also be key to ensure a quality effective service that is safe to use by all. The technology implications to deliver a wireless network of the scale and complexity outlined in the report are significant. The in-house ICT service currently delivers wireless networks at many council offices and public facilities for staff and residents where the scale is much smaller and installing and delivering the current infrastructure and securing it as required is far from simple. Extra resource would most certainly be required to deliver. When delivering public access to the internet there are many considerations to take into account, from ensuring that the young and vulnerable are protected from inappropriate content to ensuring that accurate records of internet browsing by individuals are maintained for use by law enforcement agencies when required for investigations into criminal activities and other undesirable activities. For the reasons above, the ICT service support the recommended option to deliver a town centre Wi-Fi solution with a commercial partner therefore mitigating a number of significant risks to Doncaster Council. One area that the ICT service would be keen to see included in the contract with any partner is a percentage share of the sale price of anonymised data that is sold to other organisations such as foot fall, occupancy, duration of visit to locations etc. as this data can be of significant value to commercial organisations and could be an additional source of income to Doncaster Council. In addition to income generation it would also be advantageous if Doncaster Council could have free access to all data collected to inform business intelligence and shape future service delivery. EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS 23. When considering initiatives such as this and no matter how digital Doncaster becomes, we must continue to pay due regard to all and understand who can access technology, who cannot and why they cannot as well as what support is required. As part of Doncaster Council s Digital Strategy, a due regard statement has already been developed and is being used as part of the implementation process. This will also be used to implement this initiative.
CONSULTATION 24. Parties consulted in the writing of this report include: Cabinet member; The other South Yorkshire authorities; Technology suppliers; Frenchgate Centre; Virgin Trains East Coast; Head of Service Improvement & Policy (Regeneration); Programmes & Partnerships Manager; Development Control; Highways service: and the CCTV Service. A digital consultation across Doncaster was also completed last year to inform the Council s Digital Strategy. 25. This report has significant implications in terms of the following: Procurement X Crime & Disorder Human Resources Human Rights & Equalities Buildings, Land and Occupiers Environment & Sustainability ICT X Capital Programme X BACKGROUND PAPERS 26. None. REPORT AUTHOR & CONTRIBUTORS Dale Coombs Technical Specialist Manager Email:Dale.coombs@doncaster.gov.uk Julie Grant Assistant Director of Customer Services & ICT Tel: 01302 862496 Email:Julie.grant@doncaster.gov.uk Simon Wiles Director of Finance & Corporate Services