A MULTI-million pound action plan to help children in one of the most deprived areas of Sussex was announced today.

Thousands of children in the Hastings and

St Leonards area will benefit under the

Government's new Education Action Zones after the town's successful bid for cash.

The East Sussex resort is one of only 19 areas nationally

to be awarded the new status and a share in a £108 million

windfall.

Education Action Zones are seen as a vital part of the Government's drive to raise standards in schools. Local community groups, businesses and parents will be encouraged to work together in partnership with schools.

Each of the 19 zones announced today will receive an extra £750,000 from the Government over

the next three years to fund projects aimed

at raising standards in education and improving community links.

Jeremy Birch, a Hastings county councillor and education chairman, learned of the successful bid this morning.

He said: "This is fantastic news for the whole area. This will allow the schools and the community to do what would have otherwise been impossible to do.

"Schools can now make vital links with the community and families and that will make a big difference to the educational achievement of our children."

Local education bosses have worked for more than a year to secure the area's new status, which will take effect from January 1.

Coun Birch said: "This announcement is a tribute to the hard work put in by school staff and the rest of the community."

Hastings and St Leonards was announced as one of only a handful of areas in the South to win action zone status by Estelle Morris, the Government's schools standards minister, earlier today.

She said: "Too many young people do not make the most of their time at school.

"The Government is investing much more in education, which has already seen infant class sizes falling, more teachers employed, more books and thousands of schools repaired.

"The new action zones are part of that change.

"I am grateful to all the people and organisations that have pledged support but there is much still to be done."

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