EDUCATION chiefs in Bolton have been given £3 million by the Government to help provide more places at primary schools.

The money will be added to a £14.1 million pot already allocated by Bolton Council to fund an expansion programme.

Local authority bosses must find an 250 extra places by 2012.

The drive to provide the additional classroom slots follows the closure of a number of local schools due to “falling roll numbers”.

Westhoughton Primary School and Scot Lane End Primary School in Blackrod both closed last year, while Christ Church CE Primary in Harwood was closed in 2007.

A council spokesman said: “The additional funding announced by the Government will help the council to deliver the increased capacity and the improved facilities at primary schools identified in the Primary Capital Programme.

“This is great news as, although we will not be identifying any new schemes, the funding will go a long way to ensuring that the work carried out is of the highest quality.”

Twenty schools across the borough, including four in Westhoughton, are having to cope with an increase in numbers.

Also among them is Harwood Meadows School, where plans to cater for more than 100 extra pupils have been met with outrage by residents who are worried about congestion in the area.

The extra £3 million is a slice of £300 million being distributed to 34 local authorities across the country.

The Government says the extra places are needed because of changing birth rates, changes in the housing market in the current economic climate and increased demand in the state sector “due to better local schools”.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: “It is down to local authorities to make sure there are sufficient school places available to meet parental demand across their areas.

“As part of that, they predict future needs, but it is clear that some local authorities are now facing big unanticipated rises.”

schaudhari@ theboltonnews.co.uk