Gateshead Council has awarded two IT infrastructure contracts worth £4.5m in total to a local company to boost digital services across the borough.

The contracts were awarded to Aspire Technology Solutions and will involve upgrades being made to the Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure, as well as the delivery of a Network Modernisation Partnership.

According to the local authority, the move will ensure improvements to connectivity and bandwidth in council buildings and schools to enhance digital services for users, while also providing ‘substantial social value for communities throughout the borough’.

To help meet these aims, Aspire has committed more than £180,000 in social value initiatives to enhance digital inclusion, skills, education, and community wellbeing, which have been highlighted in a council statement yesterday as ‘Gateshead's priorities’.

Included in the programme's key social value commitments are the donation of laptops to a local college and adult learning centre, the delivery of funding for 10 schools to participate in a STEM robotics competition, the reduction of emissions by transitioning to more energy-efficient technology, and upgrades to infrastructure and connectivity at day centres and community hubs in the area.

Aspire will also assist the council in achieving the goals of its Network Strategy, which is designed to ‘support growing digital demands and future-proof services’.

Cllr Leigh Kirton, Cabinet Member for Economy and Communications said: ‘Making sure our procurement decisions support local people, local businesses and local opportunities is a key priority for the council.

‘These contracts will improve connectivity, strengthen our infrastructure, and ultimately create a more accessible and efficient digital environment for residents, staff, and students across Gateshead.’