A HOME Office minister has revealed that Burnley will be at the forefront of plans to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in Lancashire by 2015.

Paul Goggins headed for Accrington to make the announcement and said that as part of the upgrade every classroom would be furnished with an interactive white board.

He visited the Spring Hill Community School in Exchange Street in the town and claimed that Lancashire schools had received £29.6m million extra for refurbishment and new building work since Labour came to power in 1997.

Mr Goggins comments build on Schools Minister David Miliband's "Building Schools for the Future'' announcement in February when the government promised to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in England "in the next 10 to 15 years".

But he had earlier caused fury in Burnley by leaving plans to completely shake up secondary education in the town off a list of 14 areas for priority work.

It was one of two areas put on a reserve list instead.

Wythenshawe and Sale East MP Mr Goggins said: "Education is Labour's number one priority and I welcome this investment in school infrastructure which will mean the schools of the future will be a world away from the schools of the past.

"Whenever I visit schools, teachers and parents tell me the benefits they see from improved technology and working environments.

"This is part of Labour's continued investment in education which will ensure that by 2015 every single secondary school in Lancashire will be rebuilt or refurbished and that every classroom will be equipped with interactive whiteboards.

A spokesman said that as part of the rebuilding and refurbishment programme, the proposals to completely reorganise Secondary Schooling in Burnley with a major construction programme would be treated "as a priority''.

He said: "By 2015 every secondary school in Lancashire will be rebuilt or refurbished, and that includes Burnley.

"Obviously we are aware of the Burnley proposals and they will be a priority.''