A multi-million pound contract to supply Wi-Fi to 24 community halls in Renfrewshire has been awarded by the council.
The deal with Commsworld, which has a maximum value of around £22million, will last for a maximum of two decades, but will have review points after seven and 14 years.
The decision was approved by elected members of the Board of Directors for Finance, Resources and Client Services on Thursday.
A current contract for public Wi-Fi, which covers a small number of buildings and three city centers, will expire in February.
The local authority also has separate Wi-Fi services in schools and many council offices, which a report says have been “implemented piecemeal over the last 10-12 years”.
It wanted to appoint a new service provider for all its Wi-Fi requirements and the new contract had to be in place by September 20 this year to allow for a transition period before the current agreement expired.
It is expected that the deal will see the provision of corporate and public Wi-Fi in the Bargarran Community Centre, Beechwood Community Centre, Bishopton Community Centre, Cargill Hall, Cochrane Castle Community Centre, the Elderslie Municipal Hall and Library, the Erskine Library and the Foxbar Community Center. and Library, Foxbar Rivers Community Centre, Gallowhill Community Center and Library, Glenburn Community Center and Library, Howwood Village Hall, Hunterhill Community Centre, Johnstone Castle Community Centre, Johnstone Town Hall, Kirklandneuk Community Centre, Langbank Community Hall, McKillop Institute, New Tweedie Hall (including the Library), Paisley Town Hall, Ralston Community Center and Library, Renfrew Town Hall, The Steeple Hall in Kilbarchan and William McMaster Center in Robertson Park.
Councilor Chris Gilmour, a Labor representative for Johnstone North and surrounding villages, said: “[I would like] to accommodate public Wi-Fi services in these buildings, especially in Ward 9 – Howwood Village Hall, Johnstone Town Hall, McKillop Institute, Steeple Hall, Kilbarchan.
“[It is] very welcome indeed and I would just ask if these four rooms could be expedited please? »
SNP Organizing Councilor John Shaw, who represents Renfrew North and Braehead, replied: “Thank you, Councilor Gilmour.
“I’m sure we’ll all be asking for our own services to be fast-tracked and we’ll see how successful or unsuccessful we’ve been when they come up with the project slate, once that’s done.
“But I know there are several councilors in your neighborhood all looking for buildings to speed up, so you might very well be successful.”
Councilor Andy Doig, an Independent Representative for Johnstone North and surrounding villages, has been an active campaigner for rolling out Wi-Fi in public buildings.
Reacting to the council’s outcome, he said: ‘It is really important now to have public Wi-Fi in all our public buildings to allow our people to be able to search for jobs, access services and follow all kinds of trainings. on line.
“The last decade has seen a digital revolution where in 2012 public Wi-Fi was seen as desirable but now it is absolutely essential so I am delighted with the decision to assign a new contact and roll out the Wi-Fi program .”
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