CASH-strapped West Somerset Council appears to have freed itself from the shackles of a 30-year financial agreement, which saw it making up the shortfall at the Somerset County Council-owned leisure centre in Minehead.

Since 1997, the district authority has given thousands of pounds each year in deficit funding to the West Somerset Leisure Centre.

Last year, the authority shelled out just over £20,000 and was due to keep paying up every year for the next 17 years.

But at Wednesday's meeting of the council's cabinet, members were told the county authority had now formed a charitable trust to run the centre and was looking for one-off cash injection to improve the facility.

In return for a payment of £100,000 - the equivalent of five years of deficit funding - the district council would be relieved of its annual cash commitment altogether.

Deputy leader Cllr Michael Downes said the original agreement had been "extremely generous".

Cabinet members agreed to make the payment, which will be used to enlarge a fitness room and other improvements at the centre.