BURY'S 14 high schools could be transformed if a "once in a lifetime" bid for £150 million is successful.

It would dwarf an earlier £37 million proposal, which failed, to rebuild three schools under the controversial Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

Education bosses are excited about the chance to rebuild and refurbish all secondary schools in one fell swoop, rather than piecemeal improvements in selected areas. Councillors are to consider tabling a bid in the coming weeks for this pot of gold, which is being held out by the Government under its Building Schools for the Future scheme.

It co-incides with a full review of secondary education in Bury, which the council has been carrying out over the summer.

Members will soon debate how many high schools the borough will need in future, their location and size, catchment areas and financial viability.

A council spokesman said the money Bury might get would depend on what its "vision" was for secondary education over the next 20 years.

He said it would be a unique opportunity: "like having a clean slate".

Officers hope that, if a bid is successful, Bury can be in one of the first waves of councils to receive funding from 2005 and lasting for the next decade and beyond.

The money is likely to be a combination of PFI money for new building, and traditional grants and borrowing approval for refurbishment.

Councillor Steve Perkins, executive member for lifelong learning, said: "The aim is to identify how secondary education across the borough should be developed, with the need to consider future demand for places a major issue.

"However, with continuing high standards of schooling in Bury, the review also needs to recognise the high level of demand for places in Bury's schools from outside the borough."

The executive meets in October to consider the findings. Coun Perkins added: "We are not expecting to make decisions that will affect any individual school but are looking to agree the principles by which future provision will be developed."