ALMOST a quarter of a million pounds of assembly money means new schools in Newport are a step closer to opening.

The city council's school building fund was due to receive £2 million from the assembly for the next financial year but was handed an extra £235,000 as the Senedd boosts capital works projects across Wales.

The extra cash will go to the new Newport High School at Bettws Lane, which replaces Bettws High School and is due to open to 1,100 pupils next October.

The extra cash means other council projects such as building a new Hartridge High School, can start sooner.

Earlier this month the assembly handed the council £15 million for its secondary school building programme but the Hartridge school is likely to cost in the region of £33 million and no start date has been named for work to begin.

Councillor David Hando, cabinet member for young people's services, said: "Our current position is that any additional funding will be directed towards the new secondary school at Bettws which is making excellent progress and on target to open next year."

He added "As soon as land sales pick up we will move on to other projects, in particular Hartridge High School."

Headteacher of Bettws High, Gary Schlick, said he was excited about moving into a new school: "We are now at the stage where current year six pupils can look forward to starting their secondary education next year in a brand new school building which will bring huge benefits for the children but also the local community too."

Assembly member for Newport west, Rosemary Butler, was also grateful the city would be handed extra cash.

"This is welcome news at a time when many of our school buildings are in need of modernisation. It'll also be a big boost for the construction industry and local businesses just when they need it."