Schools Minister Jim Knight today (Wednesday) announced the return of more than half the £49 million axed from the city's three-year school build grant last October.

Councillors and Milton Keynes MPs fought tooth and nail to recover cash through so-called 'safety-valve' handouts.

The £28 million released means top-priority schemes, including the Rivers-Rickley school, Bletchley, and extensions to Middleton and Walton High Schools, can get off the drawing board.

Maintenance work on a number of primary and secondary schools can also get underway.

The council expects a further £4 million or so of its lost money – for sixth form growth – to be forthcoming in July.

Council leader Isobel McCall said it had made progress through pressing a strong case in "difficult and tortuous negotiations".

MP Phyllis Starkey said the funding was on top of a £75.6 million schools grant already allocated.

"I am very pleased that, as a result of my lobbying of the Schools Minister and the detailed discussions between the council and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Milton Keynes will now be be getting the funding it needs to build the new schools
required to meet future population growth."

MP Mark Lancaster said: "Phyllis is slightly ungracious in trying to take all the credit, because many parties have been involved.

"The fact remains that we are still £22 million short of what we need to build all the new schools required.

"My questions remains, when exactly are we going to get that £22 million shortfall?"