EDUCATION officials in North Yorkshire will press Westminster for more cash to make up for a shortfall in school budgets in the county in the next financial year.

County Hall thought it had done well to win £1.4m extra from the Government to help develop sixth forms at schools across North Yorkshire.

However, it has emerged that the cash is likely to be deducted from grants for other areas in education, which will now have to make do with less money than expected.

North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to plug the funding gap itself for now - but will be lobbying the Government for more money just the same.

"This will leave the county council with some very careful choices to discuss with schools next term,'' said county council spokesman, Councillor Chris Metcalfe.

"The crucial thing is this £1.4m will give us room for some positive choices as well as some difficult ones."

However, he said: "It is just not on for the Government to solve the problem it created over sixth forms at the expense of all the other schools and their pupils. We are therefore pressing the Government to think again and make good the shortfall itself. We hope it is listening.''

"There are tremendous pressures on children of all ages and on teachers in every school. We are all proud of their high standards - but we really must not take them for granted."