BOLTON education bosses have drawn up an ambitious development plan to take schools into the next century.

As already reported a total of £288,000 will be spent on major improvements to Tonge Moor County Primary School.

The spend will be spread over a three year period and will include the provision of extra classrooms, a new staffroom and the replacement of the "Bristol" classroom erected as a temporary measure in 1948.

The Education and Arts Committee has also agreed to spend £95,000 on a modernisation programme at Westhougton County Primary School.

The programme will effectively create extra teaching and resource areas within the school in the most cost effective manner.

A building in Monton Street, Bolton, used by the Education Transport Unit for administrative purposes, will be replaced by a steel "sledge" structure which will serve as office/staff accommodation and provide a small amount of storage space.

In a report prepared by Programmes Officer Jeff Fletcher, councillors were told the authority's original capital programme approved in February included the replacement of Pikes Lane School and the provision of an extra classroom at Woodside Senior School.

Because of a major ongoing review into special needs provision across the borough, and success in the Single Regeneration Bid stakes for the Pikes Lane site, this cash has been freed.

Now the money will be spent to improve teaching facilities.

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