EDUCATION chiefs in Bury say they are "extremely pleased" with the £650,000 cash windfall from the government which will see improvements at 23 local schools.

Money will be used to repair crumbling classrooms and carry out long-outstanding improvements to schools across the Borough.

The £650,000 is Bury's share of £39 million package for the North West, with half a billion being spent across the country under the Government's New Deal for Schools programme. Last year the Bury Council recieved £343,000 for the Borough's schools.

The largest scheme to benefit in Bury is Woodhey High in Ramsbottom, which will get £146,000 to renew flat roofs. Broad Oak High and Derby High in Bury have received £127,000 and £60,000 respectively for similar improvements, and All Saints' CE Primary School in Whitefield will receive £5,000 to resurface the playground.

A new fire alarm will be installed at Christ Church CE Primary in Unsworth at a cost of £9,000 and £33,000 will be spent on roof repairs at Elms Bank High in Whitefield.

Bury's education committee chairman, Cllr David Ryder said: "Although it doesn't mean we can solve at a stroke all the problems that the years of neglect our schools have suffered due to cuts, but it is a big step in the right direction.

"We are extremely pleased with the announcement of this additional cash for our schools, and it will enable us to make significant in-roads into the outstanding list of major repairs."

Bury Council had put in a bid for more than £3 million to tackle problems at even more schools. However, of the £250 million available nationally, the bulk will go to authorities in the most dire need. In terms of health and safety, many areas are much worse off than Bury.

Cllr Ryder added: "I know there will be some very satisfied staff, governors parents and pupils when they hear the news. For those schools who have missed out this time, I would say all is not lost. I believe that we can be optimistic about the future."

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