A MULTI-MILLION pound contract for the provision of Wi-Fi at 24 community halls in Renfrewshire has been awarded by the council.

The deal with Commsworld, which has a maximum value of around £22million, will run for two decades at most but will have review points after seven and 14 years.

The move was approved by elected members at Thursday’s Finance, Resources and Customers Services Policy Board.

A current contract for public Wi-Fi, which covers a small number of buildings and three town centres, will expire in February.

The local authority also has separate Wi-Fi services in schools and many council offices, which a report said had been “implemented on a piecemeal basis over the last 10 to 12 years”.

It wanted to appoint a new service provider for all of its Wi-FI requirements and the new contract needed to be in place by September 20 of this year to allow for a transition period before the current deal expires.

It is expected that the offering will see the provision of corporate and public Wi-Fi across Bargarran Community Centre, Beechwood Community Centre, Bishopton Community Centre, Cargill Hall, Cochrane Castle Community Centre, Elderslie Village Hall and Library, Erskine Library, Foxbar Community Centre and Library, Foxbar Rivers Community Centre, Gallowhill Community Centre and Library, Glenburn Community Centre and Library, Howwood Village Hall, Hunterhill Community Centre, Johnstone Castle Community Centre, Johnstone Town Hall, Kirklandneuk Community Centre, Langbank Community Hall, McKillop Institute, New Tweedie Hall (including library), Paisley Town Hall, Ralston Community Centre and Library, Renfrew Town Hall, The Steeple Hall in Kilbarchan and William McMaster Centre at Robertson Park.

Councillor Chris Gilmour, a Labour rep for Johnstone North and the surrounding villages, said: “[I would like] to welcome the public Wi-Fi services to these buildings, particularly in Ward 9 — Howwood Village Hall, Johnstone Town Hall, McKillop Institute, Steeple Hall, Kilbarchan.

“[It is] very much welcome indeed and I would just ask if those four halls could be expedited, please?”

SNP convener Councillor John Shaw, who represents Renfrew North and Braehead, responded: “Thanks Councillor Gilmour.

“I’m sure we’ll all be asking for our own wards to be expedited and we’ll see how successful or unsuccessful we’ve been when they come up with the project list, once it’s done.

“But I know that there are several councillors in your ward who are all looking for buildings to be expedited, so you may very well be successful.”

Councillor Andy Doig, an independent rep for Johnstone North and the surrounding villages, has been an active campaigner for the roll-out of Wi-Fi in public buildings.

Reacting to the outcome of the board, he said: “It is really important now to have public Wi-Fi in all of our public buildings to allow our folk to be able to look for jobs, access services, and undergo all kinds of training online.

“The last decade has seen a digital revolution where in 2012 public Wi-Fi was seen as desirable, but now it is absolutely essential, so I am delighted at the decision to award a new contact and roll out the Wi-Fi programme.”