This week, Merton Council celebrated its success in securing nearly £1million from the Big Lottery Fund for its Pollards Hill library. Following an intensive period of working on the bid with its partners, the council is now looking forward to conducting wider consultation with the community and implementing the actions laid out in its bid.

Part of the England-wide Big Lottery Fund £80 million investment in widening community learning opportunities through libraries, the award will allow the following developments:

· Extension of the library to make it 30% larger
· Provision of a dedicated learning space with the emphasis on family learning, basic skills and health
· Development of a Library Board where the local community will take an active role in managing the direction of local services

With the library at the hub of Pollards Hill, the lottery funding is expected to lead to improved educational attainment, resulting in better employment prospects and a healthier community.

Merton Council Cabinet Member for Community Services, Councillor Maurice Groves, said: “The win is excellent news for our borough and especially for Pollards Hill. This is a great opportunity to broaden residents’ skills base and improve their employability. An extended library with a greater spread of services will help bring our residents together and provide people of all ages with valuable learning resources that are relevant to them.”