A FINANCIAL shot in the arm for schools in Tavistock and Okehampton is being forecast by West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett.

The annual capital grant guidelines were published by the Department for Education and Employment just before Christmas. Although the county council has yet to make a formal decision, Mr Burnett said he is 'reasonably confident' Okehampton and Tavistock are set to benefit.

'The guidelines were certainly generous — I therefore have high hopes that we should have good news in the near future for the large upgrade programme for the college and a new primary school for Okehampton.

'I want to pay tribute to the teaching staff of these schools — the pressure is terrific when you are teaching in accommodation which is not adequate,' he said.

The annual capital grant guidelines for the county is nearly £10.1-million — this is the amount the council is able to borrow for projects.

David Hutchings, spokesman for Devon County Council, said a decision on these projects and from which 'pot' they would be funded would be made at the executive committee meeting on February 12.

Mr Hutchings said: 'We are anticipating there will be good news for West Devon schools in the budgetary process next month.

'We are still waiting to hear about money for improvements and so on from the government, but we are looking at significant schemes at both Tavistock College and Okehampton College.'

Mr Hutchings said mobile accommodation needed to be replaced at Tavistock, but the county also needed to make sure there was enough overall accommodation at the school, which is expected to cater for 2,000 students by 2004.

Similar provision needs to be made at Okehampton College, said Mr Hutchings.

There could also be more good news for Okehampton, with the planning of a new primary school.

Mr Hutchings said: 'The county is working with the town council, West Devon Borough Council and developers. We have identified a provisional site on Crediton Road — we are looking for it to be partly funded through contribution from the developers.'

He said the final phase of permanent accommodation at the primary school has been completed and temporary classrooms would be installed until there were sufficient pupil numbers for a new school.

A decision made at the February 12 meeting would have to be ratified by the full council later in the month, said Mr Hutchings.