STROUD MP Neil Carmichael has welcomed the news that the Government has pumped an extra £2.35 billion into creating more school places.

In addition to £5 billion already earmarked to be spent in this Parliament's term, it means that between 2014 and 2017 schools in Gloucestershire will receive £26,995,447.

This is part of the Government’s long-term plan to give every young person the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

It is the first time that councils have had 3-year allocations of funding to spend on school places, so Gloucestershire County Council can plan ahead and ensure every child has a school place.

According to the Conservative backbencher, the Government has already created 260,000 new school places across the country and this announcement means thousands more are on the way.

Mr Carmicael, who sits on the Education Committee in the House of Commons, accused the last Labour government of not preparing for rising birth rates, which would lead to the need for thousands more school places.

“It is great news for young people in Stroud that this Government has found billions of extra funding to ensure every child has a place at school so that they can fulfil their potential,” he said.

“This is part of our long-term plan to create an education system that gives young people who want to work hard the skills they need to get on in life and have a more secure and better future.”