WEST Somerset Council plans to spend at total of £240,000 to help finance a superfast internet broadband programme which will take in the “challenging geography” of Exmoor, councillors decided last week.

Ian Timms, assistant director of business development, gave members an update on the procurement process for the delivery of phase two of the programme and asked the council for authorisation to finalise its commitment to phase two.

Phase two is being delivered by the Connecting Devon and Somerset Partnership (CDS).

Phase one of the non-commercial roll-out programme is currently seeking to bring superfast broadband to a minimum of 90 per cent of all premises by the end of 2016.

Then a second phase is planned to increase this to a minimum of 95 per cent. To support this, a range of partners, including West Somerset Council, have agreed in principle to help finance the project.