A CASH injection of £50,000 has been awarded to voluntary groups across Somerset to help deliver library services.

Somerset County Council has secured the money, which is part of the Community Enablement Fund - a scheme that has awarded more than £300,000 in grants to communities since its launch in 2012.

The successful bid was brought forward by Cllr David Hall, deputy leader of Somerset County Council and cabinet member responsible for libraries.

Cllr Hall said: “We know our libraries are important to our residents and that communities value the services they offer.”

Last year the council’s cabinet agreed a strategy for the library service, which includes setting up pilot schemes to explore how public services could share space in libraries, or how communities could have a greater say in how their libraries are run.

Cllr Hall added: “This award will be invested to encourage and empower those communities to get involved and help with the delivery of the services in line with our strategy.

“I am delighted that this application attracted the maximum award available through the fund.”

The new funding will be available for community organisations, including town and parish council, as well as community and voluntary groups, to work with the council to develop such schemes.

It could, for example, be used to make improvements to library spaces to make them more accessible for other community uses.