Barnet council has allocated an extra £11million for education in a budget praised by all parties on Thursday.

The budget includes plans for projects including the opening of two new nursery classes.

Literacy and numeracy in the borough's schools are to be boosted with two two-week summer schools with places for 120 ten and eleven-year-olds. A family literacy centre is also planned.

Education and social services are joining forces to provide a comprehensive service for the under-eights. Holiday clubs and ten out-of-school clubs are planned.

Nearly £70million is expected to be spent on social services within the borough of Barnet in 1998/99 -- roughly half the amount allocated to education.

The department has reiterated its intentions to continue spending on children, young people and families most in need, including a youth justice service, adoption and fostering.

In a policy plan agreed by councillors, the department will continue to protect children at risk of abuse and will work with health authorities to facilitate hospital discharge and reduce hospital waiting lists.

Barnet's primary schools have received a £146,000 government cash boost to help cut class sizes.

The announcement means Barnet Council will be able to speed up its own programme of cutting primary class sizes to 30 or below.

The borough was one of just ten London authorities to be awarded the cash from a special £22million government fund.

Councillor Anne Jarvis, chairwoman of the council's education committee, said: "This new money is good news for the borough. It will not eliminate the current problem entirely in Barnet but it will certainly allow us to achieve our target sooner than expected.

The council's latest figures show that 11 per cent of infant school children are currently taught in classes of more than 30. The new funding will be used to employ more teachers and to reorganise schools so that class sizes are minimised.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.