It should have been a great day and it was. Yes, it was a great day, the culmination of at least two year’s work that will bring a twenty five million pound investment into the region and maybe more. The contract was signed to help bring superfast broadband to our corner of the North East with eight different local authorities coming together in an unprecedented partnership. The investment will bring employment, improve learning, help bring communities together and increase access to the services that people rely upon. It is all good news.
It was the apogee for the small team that had worked tirelessly to get this far, trawling through the detail, reworking the numbers, liaising with the different players and pouring oil onto troubled waters. Everyone had had an opinion and they were quick to criticise. So many people had demanded to know when it was all going to happen, when the next generation access would arrive. Many were up in arms and affronted at the grindingly slow pace of change but they had no real idea of the work to be done. We had a timetable to stick to, laid down by governments both national and international, we had many hoops to jump through, audits to pass, committees to address and interested parties to talk to but we arrived at the contract signing on the very day that we agreed that we would.
At times the process had been tortuous and as the signing day got closer it became more and more tense as the final details were ironed out. Implications were realised that hadn’t been considered, responsibilities came to light that hadn’t been understood and information was requested that wasn’t always at hand. But the team knuckled down, got on with the job and delivered the contract to be signed – and it was.
So why aren’t we feeling the euphoria? Things have been achieved that at times we thought would be impossible. We’ve won the FA Cup and Wimbledon and we should be dancing and singing in celebration of this momentous event but we are not. We’ve simply slapped our backs, said some nice words, nodded our heads to each other and made our separate ways home for the weekend.
It is because the real work is still to come. The signing of the contract wasn’t the end of the process, it was only the beginning and there are many years of work ahead, planning, preparing, digging, connecting and working with people to make the most of this valuable new opportunity.
The contract signing closed the week and closed a stage in the process but a new phase opens on Monday. No doubt everyone will have an opinion and be quick to criticise. Many people will demand to know when it was all going to happen, when the next generation access will arrive and they will be up in arms and affronted at the grindingly slow pace of change. But we will have a timetable to stick to, taking into account the technology, the geography, the demography and we will have many hoops to jump through, audits to pass, committees to address and interested parties to talk to.
We arrived at the contract signing on the very day that we said we would and we will approach the implementation phase with the same vigour and determination.
Perhaps then we will feel in a position to be euphoric.
With thanks to Tony, Janine and Alli.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 
Well done to the team – this is a massive milestone and you deserve to celebrate. We’re all desperate to know when superfast is coming to our own patches. I’ll try to be patient but it will be hard – it’s like waiting for Xmas when you don’t know what date it falls on
Thanks Yasmine but there is too much paper chasing in local government. We’ll celebrate when cabinets are switched on. I know some of the detail but don’t want to over promise until certain. Thanks for your support.
Good work, Phil!
Very kind thanks.