COUNCILLORS have approved a series of grants for village halls in Dorset, totalling almost £100,000.

Members of Dorset County Council's cabinet agreed to contribute towards replacement halls in Litton Cheney, Leigh and Horton.

They also agreed to support extension work at Frampton and Stoke Abbot village halls.

Litton Cheney was given £50,000 by the council.

It means the village has most of the £425,000 needed to build its first community hall.

Freddie Spicer, who is chairman of Litton Cheney Parish Council and treasurer for the hall fundraising committee, said: "We are absolutely over the moon about this grant.

"It's brilliant. Litton Cheney has never had a village hall."

Litton Cheney Community Hall has already been given planning permission.

It will be located next to Thorner's Primary School, which will share use of the new building.

A large amount of the project money has been donated by the Diocese of Salisbury.

Mr Spicer said: "We hope by next Easter we will probably have the hall there."

Councillor Hilary Cox, who is cabinet member for environment, said the grants boosted hall schemes by encouraging other funders to get behind them.

Coun Cox added: "We are helping local communities to improve their facilities.

"We don't put a massive amount into this, finances being what they are.

"But the amount we do put in helps put confidence in the schemes and draw down large sums of money in Lottery funding and the like."

Village hall grants are administered by Dorset Community Action on behalf of the county council.

A report to councillors added: "There are no firm proposals to support schemes beyond March 2009, and the level of support available will be dependent upon the outcome of the council's annual budget setting process."