Councillors have agreed they will pay £45,000 for superfast broadband after vetoing their colleagues’ bid to rip up the deal.

Maldon District Council had agreed to contribute the cash to Essex County Council over the next three years to bring faster internet to more than 5,000 homes.

But last month the council’s finance committee voted to renege on the deal.

The final say rested with all councillors who disagreed with the move and said broadband was “integral” to the lives of residents.

The meeting heard 111 properties in Southminster and 93 in Tillingham would never receive the superfast broadband, with a number of other wards and parishes also never set to benefit.

Mayland councillor, Penny Channer said the contribution was needed to boost the economy.

She said: “I want a person in my parish to be able to Skype her family in Australia, speak to their doctor at speed, I want pupils to be able to download training modules and film to help them with their education.

"I want companies to be able to train their employees through computers and deliver modules, I want films and leisure to be available to people.”

David Sismey argued it should only go ahead if strict conditions to guarantee the rollout were put in place.

He said: “I’m pleased to say that, since the finance committee, the county council have engaged with us and they are happy to live up to our commitments.

“We all want Mrs B from councillor Channer’s ward to be able to communicate with her family on Skype, but it is also not very fair for 90-year-old Dorris in the Dengie to pay for a service she is not getting, but millionaire businessmen are.”

Speaking after the meeting Adrian Fluker, leader of the council. said some properties will never enjoy the benefit of the scheme.

He had proposed “unravelling” the decision and asking full council to withdraw the offer.

He said: “Essex County Council as the lead authority has us over a barrel, so it was with a heavy heart that I supported making the contribution but only on the strict understanding that Essex County Council delivers it contractual agreements prior to us releasing our taxpayers’ money.

“Regardless I will continue to campaign rigorously to get high speed broad band to everyone in the district and particularly those living in rural and isolated areas like the outskirts of Southminster and the marshes.”

County Hall’s infrastructure boss Kevin Bentley added: “I am pleased that Maldon District Council has agreed to honour their previous funding commitment to support the continued rollout of superfast broadband in the district.

“I have not been contacted by Maldon as yet, but understand that they are proposing some conditions to the funding that we need to review and discuss with them.

“Residents in Maldon district have already greatly benefitted from the programme with a 32 per cent increase in superfast broadband coverage resulting from the Phase 1 delivery and the district has been continuing to benefit in Phase 2a.”