Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington Borough councils have welcomed a £3.24m boost to help deliver superfast broadband across the region.
However, the three councils needs to raise up to £40m through additional public sector funding and investment to make the whole of Cheshire completely superfast broadband-enabled by 2015.
Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington Borough councils' share of the £362m pot to improve internet connections in rural parts of England and Scotland was announced last week by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Councillor David Brown, Cabinet member with responsibility for performance and capacity at Cheshire East Council, said: "We very much welcome the announcement, although £3.24m is not as high as we had anticipated.
"The team will continue to pursue other sources of funding to complement this sum with the aim of achieving £40m in total.
"We urge the public to help us connect Cheshire and Warrington by registering their demand for superfast broadband on the Connecting Cheshire website."
Councillor Hitesh Patel, executive board member for communications and personnel at Warrington Borough Council, said: "High-quality broadband is essential to thriving communities. Our aim is to ensure that all residents and businesses in the borough have access to a fast broadband connection and this funding will help us to achieve this goal."
The benefits from the provision of superfast broadband across the region has been estimated to support the creation of 5,500 jobs in Cheshire and Warrington and add £197m in growth to the local economy year on year.
Improved digital connectivity is considered a catalyst for innovation and the creation of wealth, particularly in Cheshire and Warrington, where the digital and creative industries are strong.
It would also enable the Council to deliver services in a more efficient way, resulting in cost savings for the taxpayer, and it would increase the possibility of remote and flexible working for staff, resulting in further savings.
To register support for superfast broadband in Cheshire and Warrington, the Connecting Cheshire website.
