Local Assembly Member Angela Burns held a very successful meeting in Saundersfoot for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Residents to quiz Ed Hunt, director of BT Superfast Cymru.

People came from Llanpumsaint in the east to Pembroke in the west with many communities represented, as well as concerned individuals with specific broadband access problems.

Ed Hunt gave an update on the progress of superfast installation and said that currently 67.4 per cent of households in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire could receive superfast or fibre coverage. He anticipated that by the end of the programme in 2017; 95 per cent of homes in Wales would be able to access superfast or fibre broadband although the figures for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire were less certain.

Villages such as Lawrenny had specific issues which made broadband provision very costly and would require intervention by Welsh Government.

Angela Burns said: “I’m very grateful to Ed Hunt for coming along and taking so many questions from those present, as well as a huge number of written questions from people unable to attend.

“The truth of the matter is that whilst most communities will receive fibre or superfast coverage there will always be homes too far away from a cabinet to benefit.

“There are some grants available at the moment to help those out of coverage, but I am deeply worried about vibrant communities such as Lawrenny and Llanpumsaint where either no coverage is available or significant numbers could be left out.

“I have written to the Business Minister asking for a contingency fund so that as many households as possible can have access.

“From school children to shoppers to researchers to business people, the digital age is upon us and no-one should be excluded.”