St Marys Park, Louth, LN110EF - Springfibre site meeting - Find a freedom of information request

1. Records of any meetings and information and Poland relating to St Mary's Park are provided to me.

2. In addition I also am aware that two councillors from Lincolnshire county council attended a meeting on the 25 January, yet you haven't provided me with those name's? Who were the two councillors who attended?

3. Would also like to see their meeting records

4. Could you please inform me, how were the actual residents i.e. The community informed?

5. How are overhead cables better than sub surface? Especially with the very high winds recently experienced?

6. Could you please inform me, what due diligence checks were carried out on Spring Fibre, to check they are competent to undertake this work? If so, by whom?

7. Have method statements and risk assessments also been scrutinised? If so, by whom?

8. Do they also hold in date public and employee liability insurance?

1. It is not standard practice to take minutes at operational site meetings, so there is no minute record. The purpose of the meeting between Lincolnshire County Council (LCC), SpringFibre and Town Council around Louth (including St Mary’s Park) was to allow SpringFibre to communicate their intentions of building a super-fast broadband network in Louth and allow attendees to ask questions.

2. No Councillors from Lincolnshire County Council attended the meeting. Councillor S Crew from Louth Town Council attended the meeting.

3. LCC do not hold this information.

4. There is no statutory requirement to consult with residents, however, LCC have requested all fibre companies wishing to install telegraph poles follow the national pole and cabinet siting code of practice. This code of practice is voluntary, however, SpringFibre have agreed to follow it and erect site notices at least 28 days’ prior to the installations. Letter drops will also be carried out to the nearest affected properties. As part of the work to inform the community, information was shared with LCC, District Council and Town Council.

5. LCC does not hold this information specifically. The installation of fibre cabling using telegraph poles is nationally recognised industry practice. The apparatus owner/infrastructure provider would be responsible for ensuring this service was effective using this method.

6. SpringFibre are a statutory utility company with a Street Works Act Code and therefore have a legal right under Section 48 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to install, maintain and replace apparatus within the public highway. The application process for gaining Street Works Act rights is not managed or approved by LCC. This is managed by GeoPlace on behalf of the Department for Transport and involves stringent checks to ensure an organisation’s competency.

7. A statutory utility company have a legal right to work in the highway and it is not the responsibility of LCC, as Highway Authority, to review this information. A utility company is required to submit permit applications to LCC which are reviewed. LCC cannot unreasonably refuse a statutory utility access to work in the highway.

8. LCC do not hold this information.