School building projects across Barnet are expected to be given a boost following the announcement of a multi-billion pound investment programme by the Government.

Local authorities are required to put together bids for a share of the £5.4billion announced on Wednesday last week and Barnet is confident it will be among the leading recipients.

Speaking at Parliament Hill School in Camden, Education Secretary David Blunkett said: "This substantial investment will help us to transform schools by tackling the repairs backlog which has built up over the last 20 years.

"For too long many of our schools have had to live with poorly maintained accommodation. Pupils and teachers have a right to expect decent conditions in which to learn and teach."

The new method of distribution by bidding, which replaces direct allocation to councils, has been welcomed by Barnet's education committee chairman Councillor Anne Jarvis.

Referring to a previous round of bids in which the council managed to net £151 per pupil, she said: "Over the last five years education has been a major priority for the council and we have put in place many policies to raise standards. This has aided us in our efforts to convince the Government that we know where money can be spent to help schools help children achieve."

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