LOCAL authorities across the South West have been given £22million to support England's new Test and Trace service.

A total of £300million has been handed to councils across England and each upper tier local authority has now been awarded funding to develop tailored outbreak control plans.

The funding is designed to help communities plan for reducing the spread of coronavirus in their area, building on the continued efforts to respond to the pandemic locally.

A total of £22,669,395 has been allocated to the 14 county councils/unitary authorities in the South West.

Somerset County Council has received £1,925,972.

Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke, added: "Councils are playing a hugely important role in our national efforts to respond to the virus, and this includes test and trace services.

"This £300 million of funding is on top of the unprecedented £3.2 billion package of support we have provided to councils to ensure they have what they need to tackle the virus and respond to the immediate pressures they have told us they are facing."

Here is how the cash sum has ben split:

Bath and North East Somerset – £849,159

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole – £1,808,624

Bristol – £3,032,572

Cornwall – £2,387,297

Devon – £2,618,508

Dorset – £1,287,650

Gloucestershire – £2,221,773

North Somerset – £868,716

Plymouth – £1,402,003

Somerset – £1,925,972

South Gloucestershire – £863,029

Swindon – £930,733

Torbay – £886,457

Wiltshire – £1,586,902

Nadine Dorries is the minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health.

She said: "Local authorities play a vital role in the effort to contain COVID-19 in their communities.

"The funding awarded today will help each local area work hand in hand with Public Health England and contact tracers to focus on the containment of local outbreaks, to control the transmission of this virus.

"The public response to the rollout of NHS Test and Trace has been fantastic, and we continue to rely on everyone to play their part and follow the latest guidelines.

"If you have symptoms of the virus, please book a test immediately and if you are contacted by the tracing service, it is vital that you follow their advice."