NEARLY £4 million has been awarded to a partnership to support the growth of its wireless innovation and technology.

The River Severn Partnership has been awarded £3.75m of government funding by the Department for Science Innovation and Technology, for the 'Innovation Region' project.

The partnership consists of the eight English and Welsh councils that cover the River Severn catchment area, including Worcestershire, and is one of ten UK Innovation Regions to gain funding.

The project will engage, encourage and adopt advanced wireless connectivity technology into the heart of the RSP’s priority sectors of rural industries, water management and public services, where partners are both regional and national leaders.

The award  is focused on the delivery of the Government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April 2023.

The RSP will look to its key sectors and communities to take full advantage of the transformative effect of using wireless networks to generate value and growth at the local level.

Innovation Regions will demonstrate and adopt 5G and other advanced wireless ‘use cases’ across key sectors of the economy and the benefits this ‘smart technology’ can bring, including transforming public services and growing the economy, making farms, factories, and workplaces more productive and creating better paid jobs.

Cllr Marc Bayliss, cabinet member with responsibility for economy, infrastructure and skills at Worcestershire County Council said: “The funding will help us work together as a region to accelerate the adoption of new digitally connected products and services across priority sectors including water management, agri-tech and food production. 

"It will also enable us to explore new ways to deliver public services. Improvements in wireless connectivity are key to enabling organisations to make data driven decisions that increase productivity, hit sustainability goals and improve quality of life in our region today and for future generations.”

The RSP area covers 6,000 square miles in England and Wales, which ahs over 2.6 million people.