EDUCATION minister Jane Hutt was in Ebbw Vale yesterday following the announcement The Works is set to get an extra £35 million.

The money will be spent on the Ebbw Vale Learning Works, a school for three to 16-years-olds, and a centre for sports, leisure and arts.

Ms Hutt met with Blaenau Gwent councillors at the former Corus steelworks site.

The Works is one of four education projects across Wales getting a chunk of the Assembly's £67.3 million strategic capital investment fund.

This announcement comes on top of the £48.5 million awarded to The Works in July.

The council's executive member for education, Steve Bard, said: "This is a really exciting opportunity, it gives us the opportunity to put Blaenau Gwent at the front of 21st century learning. It's a huge job, but so exciting, we are now responsible for getting this right."

The new learning centre will cover everything from primary to degree-level education and will replace Pen-y-Cwm School.

Councillors will now start an informal consultation with residents, schools, governors and businesses in the area to ask for their ideas about the site.

There will be 36 meetings in just three weeks at the end of November and into December.

Ms Hutt said: "This is an exciting day because this is what we've been working towards to provide funding to allow education to take off in Blaenau Gwent. It's going to really make this part of Wales shine in terms of opportunities for young people."