HEAD teachers have broadly welcomed a Government injection of cash for urgently needed repairs in schools.

Chancellor Gordon Brown announced the £200m boost in his pre-Budget statement last Wednesday.

It will mean every primary and secondary school in Wiltshire will receive money for repairs.

Schools will be able to make their own decision on what repairs should be carried out because cheques will be sent directly to them.

It is estimated that a typical secondary school will receive £36,000, and the average primary school will get £12,000.

Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett, said: "We inherited a situation where less than £700m a year was being spent on crumbling buildings.

"We are now investing over three times that amount each year and we are giving all head teachers greater flexibility in deciding how the money is spent."

Although the money is a welcome boost, it will only go a small way to tackling the huge repairs needed.

A recent audit of schools by Wiltshire County Council revealed £50m was needed for urgent repair work.

Dwindling budgets in recent years has meant that governors have had to spend money on teachers' wages, books and other equipment instead of routine repairs and maintenance.

At Sheldon Secondary School in Chippenham more than £200,000 needs to be spent on replacing windows and part of a roof.

Head teacher Tony Cleaver said: "Any money the Government gives is welcome. If we can use the money to improve the fabric of our buildings then we can create a suitable learning environment for our pupils.

"Schools do have a tremendously difficult time with issues of repairs and maintenance.

"There is an acute problem in Wiltshire because the main school budget has been so tight in the last three years, that we have either seen reductions in our spending or a standstill budget."

Sheldon is a former grant maintained school and used to receive funding directly from the Government, but following the abolition of grant maintained status, Mr Cleaver estimates the school has lost £200,000 a year.

St Barnabas' Primary School, in Market Lavington, was built in 1971. Although it does not need any major repairs, some of the walls have not been repainted for ten years.

Head teacher Phil Laycock said: "The money from the Government is very welcome. However there's not enough money to do everything. We are always looking at ways of balancing budgets and without parents contributing, schools would be in a hopeless situation. They are brilliant at raising money for computers, books and playground equipment."

Wiltshire County Council has put together a list of ten schools which require priority repairs and has put in a bid to the Department for Education and Employment for funding of more than £1m.