EAST Lancashire schools will receive a cut of more than £2million to improve their disabled access, it was revealed.

The Government has allocated £2,138,000 to Lancashire County Council to distribute to schools as part of a national initiative to improve access for disabled pupils.

Community schools in the county have been allocated £1,320,000, while the remaining £818,000 will be shared between grant-aided schools.

The Disability Discrimination Act requires every local education authority in the country to establish an Accessibility Strategy and all schools must prepare a plan by April 1.

The resources allocated will be used to complete the most urgently needed work identified in schools' Accessibility Plans. The majority of work will be carried out over the next year, but more expensive projects will be phased in over two years.

Work will include a wide range of improvements such as disabled toilets, access ramps, widened doors, ramps and handrails in classrooms and chair lifts.

Lancashire County Council's Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, Councillor Alan Whittaker, said: "The money will help to make life easier for both pupils and staff."