EDUCATION bosses from Darlington will have to wait until July to hear when they will get money to repair the town's crumbling schools.

Darlington Borough Council could be one of the last local education authorities in the country to benefit from the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme.

The Government has promised to refurbish every secondary school in the country by 2015 - however some education authorities are having to wait longer.

Darlington education bosses have twice met staff from the Department of Education and Skills. Paul Wildsmith, acting chief executive of the borough council, and Margaret Asquith, head of children's services, were in London, on Monday.

Mr Wildsmith said: "We have put our case to them and we have told them what our needs are and we look forward to a positive response soon."

Sunderland and Gateshead will receive the cash in April. Middlesbrough and Durham will get their money in the next few years.

Darlington may have to have to wait until 2011, but this will be confirmed by the Government in July.