The Final Countdown

Graham Ford • Published 31 Dec 2010 09:30 0 Comments

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IT'S deadline day for Innerleithen.

Despite losing a number of crucial votes over the last few days, the Tweeddale town is still in the running to bring superfast broadband to the town and surrounding communities.

Innerleithen was amongst several leading contenders for the five coveted prizes to see all important votes rejected by eagle-eyed officials in the run up to the midnight deadline tonight (Friday).

But despite the set-back, broadband campaigner Brian McCrow and his dedicated team have shown incredible resilience.

Brian said: "We are doing remarkably well given that we were knocked back some 278 votes last week by BT as they were deemed to be invalid votes.

"BT had carried out some data cleansing and as a result detected a number of invalid votes, however many of these were through human error. These included incorrect email addresses or not including full names.

"This pattern was discovered in a significant number of entries from many of the towns and villages across the UK who are competing for one of the five coveted opportunities to secure superfast broadband for their community."

Despite the set-back Innerleithen has climbed back into the top five - sitting just a few votes behind Blewbury in Oxfordshire, Baschurch in Shropshire, and Madingley in Cambridgeshire.

But its fourth place with 97.6 per cent - as we went to press - was only narrowly in front of communities in Cambridgeshire and Hampshire.

Mitch Reid from BT Scotland explained why some of Innerleithen's votes had been wiped off.

He said: "A considerable amount of work is continually being carried out to check that the counting of the votes is accurate and consistent. In a small minority of cases, we find that a vote should not be counted. This process ensures robust data validation across all exchanges in the UK, a necessity to ensure equity and fairness to all communities trying to win the race."

Since the setback, the campaign team have stepped up a gear to gather as many votes as possible. This has included a block text to all the parents involved at Innerleithen Primary School and a leaflet drop throughout the town.

Backing the final surge is local MP David Mundell he told us: "It is important to stress that people have right up until midnight tonight (Friday) to vote. As a politician I am often encouraging people to make their vote count and on this occasion it couldn't be more true.

" I know as it stands there are just a handful of votes separating the communities who would get broadband, and those who could miss out, so it is vital everyone takes the time to vote. Even if they can't ever see themselves using broadband, they should do it as a goodwill gesture to the community.

"They can enjoy the sense of satisfaction in helping their local community, local businesses and all the young people who live in this area."

His comments were echoed by Tweeddale East Councillor Graham Garvie, who said: "The campaign team are to be congratulated for their unstinting efforts. It is great to see the way the entire community has rallied round this project."

Brian McCrow has spearheaded this campaign he added: "We are the only Scottish town in the Race to Infinity with a chance to be in the top five, who will win the prize of an early upgrade to superfast broadband.

"And another prize of £5,000 of computer equipment for a community project. I was really touched just the other week while out canvassing for votes, when an old lady who was pushing a zimmer frame stopped me to tell me that she had voted."

When the clock strikes midnight tonight, it won't just mark the end of 2010 but also the closure of the Innerleithen quest to bring superfast broadband to the town and surrounding communities.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 31 Dec 10

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