ON Wednesday we reported that schools in York faced a funding crisis.

The city's director of education warned that more redundancies would be necessary, unless costs were cut.

The picture looked gloomy, with a gap in funds of £2 million.

Today matters appear more cheerful. Or we think they do. Only time will tell if the Government's funding boost of £15 million for schools in York, East and North Yorkshire will be enough to stave off further redundancies.

The money will be spread over two years - but it will not come into effect this year.

Any news of increased funding for schools has got to be welcomed. Yet the figures will have to be scrutinised before we know whether or not this is enough.

It has certainly been strange to watch this New Labour Government stumble into a schools funding crisis. Wasn't this the Government that backed the employment of more teachers with expensive advertising campaigns and inducements to attract new recruits to the professions?

Wasn't this the Government lead by a Prime Minister who once famously spoke of his priorities being "education, education, education"?

At least the announcement from the Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, of extra money will lift the spirits of beleaguered education authorities.

However, the crisis overshadowing the next school year has not gone away. Those classroom problems still exist and schools will have to make difficult choices. In York, 90 per cent of schools are said to be in the red.

Also, however potentially welcome this financial lifeline is, the timing of the announcement was suspect. Why wait until the very end of the summer term?

Suspicions will surely be raised that the news was slipped out when headteachers were relaxing and looking forward to a well-earned break.

But let's try to end the term on an optimistic note. The Government has at least acted to ease future problems, and that is better than nothing.

Updated: 10:40 Friday, July 18, 2003