The Marlborough District Council breached an agreement with the government by allowing telecommunication businesses to provide broadband off the back of its licence. Marlborough Mayor John Leggett, right, is "satisfied" with Marlborough District Council chief executive Mark Wheeler's investigation into the complaint. Photo: Chloe Ranford / LDR The council secured a licence from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in 2018 to bring internet and mobile coverage to residents of Marlborough, on the condition that it did so within two years and six months. But when the deadline came around in July last year, the council publicly announced it was ditching its plans to get into telecommunications and moving onto data collection. The council realised it would cost about $41 million to provide 99 per cent of its residents with decent broadband.