Education Secretary David Blunkett has announced payments of nearly £30m to be spent on rebuilding or refurbishing schools in York and North Yorkshire over the next three years.

The cash will be used for projects including new classrooms, better laboratories, repairing roofs and upgrading heating systems. It is part of £4 billion which will be carved up over the next three years between local education authorities' areas for school improvements.

The City of York area will receive £6.3 million, and North Yorkshire £23.2 million.

Craig Shaw, City of York Council's head of management services for education, said: "I am interested in the actual process of teaching and learning, and to be able to plan exactly what money we will have for three years for building and refurbishment, and how that will be spent, is excellent news.

"Now we know this money has been committed, we can move forward. That is the difference that this announcement will make." The cash will not affect an application for cash to rebuild Hob Moor junior and infant schools in Acomb, Fulford's St Oswald's and St Barnabas's in Leeman Road, which is being considered by the Government at the moment.

Updated: 10:34 Friday, January 19, 2001