The River Severn Partnership (RSP) has been awarded an additional £400,000 of funding from the Government to extend, for a second time, its development of wireless innovation and technology in three key sectors.
The RSP comprises the eight English and Welsh councils that cover the River Severn catchment area including Shropshire Council, and is one of 10 UK Innovation Regions to gain additional funding and an extension to the £3.75m RISPAWIR programme.
The award from the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is focused on the delivery of the Government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April 2023.
The RSPAWIR demonstrates and adopts advanced wireless technology ‘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.
The RSPAWIR focuses on agriculture, water and the public sectors. And the programme aims to generate further inward investment in ‘wireless networks’ and smart technology in the region and the adoption of the opportunities by its key sectors.
Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council cabinet member with responsibility for economic growth, said: “This additional £400,000 investment from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is a powerful endorsement of the River Severn Partnership’s pioneering work in wireless innovation.
“It reflects the Government’s confidence in our region’s ability to lead the way in transforming public services, agriculture, and water management through advanced digital technologies, and we look forward to continuing to deliver real-world benefits for our communities, economy, and environment.”
Matt Smith, programme manager for the RSPAWIR, which is managed by Shropshire Council, said: “The RSPAWIR has already allowed a number of use cases to test the adoption of new digital products and services that support public services, while helping key enterprises in water management and rural industries to explore and exploit digital innovation.
“The extension and additional DSIT funding are very welcome and will allow us extra time to evidence the value of advanced wireless technology in those key sectors in our region.”
Last month the RSPAWIR was named the winner of the Best New Initiative in the Water Sector at the Water, Wastewater and Environmental Monitoring Expo (WWEM), held at the NEC Birmingham.