Four north-east councils approved for £1.75bn windfall

TdaNews Direct
Published: 18 November, 2008

Four local councils in the north-east of England are to share the £1.75 billion windfall that will be shared among 41 local authorities for primary school refurbishments.

Included in the approved councils were Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough and Darlington, with Durham, North Yorkshire and Sunderland ready to be given the go ahead subject to further work on their ideas, according to the Northern Echo.

The plans mark the newest stage of the Primary Capital Programme which will distribute a total of £7 billion by 2022-23 for the upgrading and rebuilding of schools.

Welcoming the news, Councillor Cath Hill of Hartlepool borough council said: "It means that we can now move forward on our priority schemes which will see a total of £8.4m invested in the first two years of the programme.

"Top priority is the rebuilding of Jesmond Road School."

A primary school pupil from Hartlepool, Ellie Carter, recently won Vodafone's Cut it Out Campaign for anti-bullying, which will see a coat she designed being worn in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, according to the Hartlepool Mail.