A MOVE to modernise or extend five high Schools in Bury could be carried out earlier than planned.

Bury Council hopes to spend £187 million on new buildings for Derby, Elton and Elms Bank high schools, with substantial modernisation at Broad Oak and Bury CE.

Bury is currently ranked 42nd out of 70 local authorities nationwide and expected to receive funding in spring 2010 from the Government’s Building Schools For The Future (BSF) programme.

But Cllr Diana Ashworth, the council’s executive member for children and young people, is hopeful that Bury could jump the queue.

Speaking at the latest meeting of the executive, she said: “I personally choose to be optimistic that we will get into the programme sooner than the current league table indicates.”

The meeting heard that Bolton Council was recently fast-tracked into the BSF programme, as was Hampshire Council, which was ranked 41st in the table.

Paul Cooke, the council’s head of school organisation, said: “If we can do everything we can to prepare for the bid, that puts us in a better position. We have to be optimistic but we also have to be realistic in this current economic climate.”

The council is currently working on a preliminary document showing it is ready to do the work when funding becomes available.

It must spend £200,000 on preparations this year, with a further £3.5 million needed for the following three years.

The initial investment was approved by the executive at the meeting, despite concerns about the large amounts needed.

Cllr Mike Connolly, leader of the Labour group, said: “I do have some serious concerns about the financing and the authority’s ability to meet the costs. In my view, these costs are going to get higher and higher.”

Cllr Ashworth said: “Whilst requiring significant financial investment by the council, this programme will mean massive investment in our secondary schools.”