Education Secretary David Blunkett today announced nearly £30m to rebuild or refurbish schools in North Yorkshire.

The cash will be used for new classrooms, better laboratories, repairing roofs

and upgrading heating systems.

Mr Blunkett detailed how two billion pounds over the three years to 2003/04 would be carved up between local education authorities for school im

provements.

City of York Council will receive 6.3 million pounds and North Yorkshire County Council 23.2 million pounds.

Mr Blunkett said: "This huge extra investment is further evidence of our determination to improve school standards, ensuring that children learn in decent, warm and well-equipped classrooms."

The Government is putting 7.8 billion pounds into improving school buildings in the three years to 2003/04.

In November, ministers announced how 3.8 billion pounds would be divided up between LEAs which will also get a share of a further two billion pounds.

Updated: 16:26 Thursday, January 18, 2001