LANCASHIRE County Council is set to make a pre-Brexit bid for £3million of EU cash to connect up 17,000 rural properties to superfast broadband.
Tomorrow the authority's ruling Cabinet will be recommended to apply for the money from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
It will be matched by £2m of the county council's own resources to maximise coverage and impact of the final Stage Three of the programme.
Officers tell the senior councillors in a report: "Stage One of the programme delivered superfast speeds to 136,000 premises.
"Stage Two will provide superfast speeds to another 11,283 properties by the end of 2018.
"According to Thinkbroadband.com United Kingdom superfast coverage is 97 per cent of the county council area.
"Once stage 2 is complete approximately 17,000 properties will still be without superfast broadband access.
"These properties fall outside any commercial plans."
The report adds: In preparation for the procurement process and in order to comply with state aid rules the county council will carry out an open market review to confirm the position of those areas currently designated as not being part of any commercial infrastructure plans."
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