The figures come from a final report presented to Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet, by Switch on Shropshire, a scheme launched in 2003 which ran until April this year, to help provide communities and businesses in rural areas with better access to broadband.

Managed by Shropshire County Council and funded through European Regional Development and Rural Regeneration Zone funds, the £4million project provided ‘support packages’ – including grant aid – to businesses and communities.

This support enabled 400 small and medium-sized companies to buy broadband equipment, connection, training and to develop products, and has led to the creation of 35 ‘Broadplaces’ in villages and towns, which more than 30,000 local people have visited to learn about and experience broadband internet.

Paul Nash, Project Manager, said: “The Broadplaces have in many cases gone beyond their primary aim to address take-up and use of broadband services – and have played a key role in stimulating important new learning opportunities for their communities. The Broadplaces appear to be playing positive roles too within the communities – bringing together diverse groups of people with varied interests.

“There has been an uplift in business broadband take-up as a result of the project, but also some key changes in the way that local businesses have integrated ICT into their operations.”

Councillor Mike Owen, Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Community Well-being said: “This report clearly illustrates that the Switch on Shropshire has been very successful and provided a welcome boost to local communities and businesses in many parts of the county. The project has met all its initial targets within budget and I congratulate all involved in managing and delivering it since its inception in 2003.”

Evaluation of the Switch on Shropshire project found it has been successful in increasing access to and awareness of broadband, particularly in rural communities, but found there is a need for further work to stimulate take-up within the county. As a result, the council say they will continue to provide support to Broadplaces.

l Broadplaces in the Oswestry area include: Eastern Oswestry Community Centre, Knockin Assembly Rooms, Llanymynech Village Hall, Maesbury, Ruyton-XI-Towns, St Martins Centre, Trefonen Village Hall and Weston Rhyn Institute.