BURY'S battle to save its envied education system has received 100 per cent backing from local schools.

The chairmen of governors at every primary and secondary school have put pen to paper on the borough's classroom crisis.

And they have spelled out how grim next year will be if they have to make another massive round of cuts.

Bury's MPs are taking the dossier to London to persuade the Government to give Bury a fairer funding deal, and not just for education.

The council has had to save millions of pounds in recent years, despite receiving one of the lowest cash grants per head of population.

Ivan Lewis, MP for Bury South, said the reaction from schools was just what he hoped for and expected.

"Everyone is committed to protecting and preserving the high standards of educational excellence that have been built up over the years," said Mr Lewis.

"No-one wants to see all that hard work disappear, certainly not without a fight." His comments were echoed by his Bury North counterpart David Chaytor, who said meetings with ministers were being arranged.

"Everybody in Bury knows that we have a strong case," said Mr Chaytor. "We intend to make sure that Whitehall knows it as well."

As well as lobbying individual ministers, the MPs and council officers are planning a widespread campaign which will involve all Cabinet members.

Deputy council leader John Byrne said Bury was determined to take its case to the highest level.

"We did not believe that we had received fair treatment from the previous Government," he said.

"This time we have already obtained the backing of several influential ministers and we hope that will make a difference."

Coun Byrne added: "Having said that, we realise that hard decisions will still have to be made locally.

"We want to protect our education service and our services generally. With £10 million worth of cuts to find, that is not going to be easy.

"However, if we can get the kind of support from the public that we have received from our schools, then I feel confident that we can get over this crisis and feel sure that, for the future, things will improve."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.