A PUBLIC meeting to air broadband concerns and propose solutions for rural areas in Dwyfor and Meirionnydd will take place next week.

The meeting has been arranged by local MP Liz Saville Roberts to respond to connectivity concerns expressed by local residents and businesses and propose solutions for rural communities.

The meeting will be attended by Julie James AM, the Welsh Labour Government chief whip and Cabinet secretary for science and skills, who has responsibility within government for the superfast broadband scheme. BT have also been invited to the meeting.

It will take place on 8 February at Y Ganolfan, Porthmadog, at 5.30pm.

Figures released by the House of Commons Library in 2017 revealed over half of householders in Dwyfor Meirionnydd (50.9 per cent) receive broadband connection speeds of under 10Mb/s, the very minimum acceptable download speed set by the government in the Digital Economy Bill.

Figures also reveal 7.1 per cent of householders receive the slowest possible speeds (under 2Mb/s), compared to the UK average of 2.9 per cent.

Mrs Saville Roberts said: “I have arranged this meeting in response to mounting constituency concerns about connectivity issues in Dwyfor Meirionnydd, with the aim of working collaboratively with the Welsh government and broadband providers to find solutions.

“I’m grateful to the cabinet secretary for agreeing to attend this meeting, which I’m confident will be a mutually beneficial exercise for both my constituents and the Welsh Government as we seek practical solutions to connectivity barriers.

“Many of my constituents are unable to access what Ofcom recognises as the speed necessary to deliver an ‘acceptable user experience’, required for basic usage such as web browsing, streaming and video calling.

“Upgrading digital infrastructure in rural areas such as Dwyfor and Meirionnydd is crucial to ensuring that the rural economy is not further disadvantaged.

“I hope the meeting will afford both the Welsh government with the opportunity to update local people on the delivery of superfast broadband and provide constituents with a forum to air their specific concerns.”