BOLTON and Bury TEC is to receive a share of a £20m cash bonus awarded by the government to high performing training and enterprise councils. The local TEC will get an extra £301,598 to spend next year after scoring a maximum seven performance points for last year's work. The points are awarded for reaching or exceeding national targets laid down under performance related funding for a major chunk, but not all of, the TECs' work.

When the awards scheme was first introduced in 1991 only 33 TECs qualified, but this year Bolton and Bury TEC are among 73 to receive cash.

Last year BBTEC only achieved five points after falling down on the number of people from ethnic minorities being trained for work.

Commercial Executive Phillipa Sudlow said BBTEC were "delighted" to gain top marks and receive the maximum award this year.

"Over the next few months we will be drawing up business plans and the money will be allocated to certain activities.

"I expect some of it will be spent on training for young people and working in schools to encourage the work attitude and improve knowledge of the world of work.

"I would also expect there to be some help for small businesses."

Announcing the awards, Education and Employment Minister James Paice said: "The fact that almost all TECs have met some or all their performance targets agreed with the government is good news.

"These achievements reflect the effectiveness of TECs in meeting the needs of their own local labour market, in particular helping people with disabilities, people from ethnic minorities and residents of inner city areas.

"However TECs are also involved in a wide range of activities and enterprise fields which are not reflected in the award of these bonuses."

To receive a performance bonus TECs had to achieve or exceed targets in five of the following areas:

The number of people with disabilities in work after specific training.

The number of top level companies committed to the Investors in People standard.

Commitment to training and development activities.

The number of people from ethnic minority groups in work after specific training.

Inner city residents in work after laid down training.

Meeting objectives in a local education strategy.

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