A FURTHER £2.18m will be pumped into ensuring superfast broadband reaches up to 95% of premises in Somerset and Devon by 2017.

Somerset County Council has already invested £10m in the Connecting Devon and Somerset programme that aims to bring superfast broadband connections to 90% of business and residential properties in the county.

This further investment from the council, along with investment from partners, will allow the programme to apply for £22.75m from Government to deliver broadband to an extra 5% of premises.

The Government investment is dependent on match funding from partners such as the county councils, district councils and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in the programme area.

Cllr David Hall, cabinet member for business, inward investment and policy, said: “I cannot stress how important superfast broadband is to Somerset - for its residents, businesses and our economy.

"We are committed to delivering superfast broadband to our hardest to reach areas and this extra investment from ourselves, partners and government will help us achieve just that.

"If we get the go ahead in September, the scheme with satellite internet will build on the work already being undertaken by Connecting Devon and Somerset to look at how we can bring new technological solutions to benefit our hardest to reach areas.”

The programme will find out in September if the application for further funding from Government has been successful.