Articles in Financial

THE Community Broadband Network (CBN) is set to launch at the end of January with a £ 50,000 grant awarded by Co-operative Action. Set up by the Phone Co-op and RuralNet UK the broadband social enterprise aims to provide faster internet connections to those in rural areas where 10 million people are without connections. They are the computer users, including businesses, based in hard-to-reach rural areas, which accounts for more than 20 per cent of the country.

OVER half a million co-operative members could benefit from a new regional co-operative network recently launched. The co-op network called "4 Counties", which comprises of co-ops from Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, came together for their first meeting at a specially-arranged conference called Building the Base ? Co-operative perspectives for the future. The network has evolved from the now disbanded Anglia Co-operation Education Group.

HOME Office Minister Hazel Blears told the Social Enterprise Greater Manchester conference that enterprises can make a difference across Government and that many departments are ready to embrace its benefits. She said: "My department recently began a consultation on policing and community safety ? trying to make our neighbourhoods safer. While we may be looking more at deprived areas some examples can be used across all communities.