Graham has pressed Cllr Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding Council, to sign up to a Voluntary Best Practice Charter with KCOM, Connexin and MS3.
This comes following months of unease with broadband poles being erected by MS3 and Connexin under permitted development.
The Hull Charter binds the companies to a set of agreed regulations around erecting poles, including how signage should be designed; engaging with the Local Authority, councillors, MPs and other stakeholders; engagement with communities and an agreement about acting with integrity at all times.
Graham has previously pressed East Riding to adopt a charter with broadband companies, and repeats this request today.
Graham has pushed the government to change permitted development rules around telegraph poles for broadband delivery in a recent letter to Digital Infrastructure Julia Lopez. They will meet on 25th March at a roundtable.
This followed a meeting with broadband executives in Parliament, where East Riding and Hull MPs made it clear that they expect these companies to work together. Graham has made it clear to MS3 and Connexin that he expects them to come to agreement about pole sharing.
He has spoken to CEOs of Connexin, MS3 and KCOM on several occasions, at all times encouraging them to work together to prevent poles being erected without residents having any say.
He also welcomed campaigners from Hedon to Parliament to hear their concerns about the erection of poles.
Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said: “People in Hedon, Preston and Beverley are feeling powerless about ugly and unnecessary broadband poles being erected outside their homes, where underground KCOM ducts already exist.
“That’s why I’ve long been working with the companies in question, and residents, to try to find a resolution, including a voluntary charter between the Council and broadband companies.
“I’m delighted that, following months of pushing these companies to start to work together to improve broadband for residents, the first steps have been taken with this Voluntary Best Practice Charter in Hull.
“There’s no reason why East Riding can’t sign up to this, so I’ve pressed the Leader of the Council to do exactly that.
