The cash will be used to improve school building stock

Torbay Council is to receive almost �20m over the next three years from the Department for Education and Skills.

It will be used to fund building projects, replace buildings and create an "environment suitable for 21st Century learning", the council said.

In a separate grant Paignton Community and Sports College will benefit from a �1,673,520 to replace mobile classrooms and build a social inclusion centre.

MP's priority

Torbay Council has been given �5.1m for the academic year 2005/6, �6.8m for 2006/7 and �7m for 2007/8.

Torbay Council Leader Chris Harris said: "This is excellent news for the education community of Torbay. It will enable us to continue the building programme already under way and to continue to improve our building stock.

"This demonstrates national and local support for the environments in which our children learn."