Schools in Sussex are to be given more to spend, thanks to a clampdown on

town hall bureaucracy.

This was announced by Education Secretary David Blunkett.

The three education authorities, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex, are among the highest spenders per child in England, although not as high as some London boroughs.

Brighton is spending £2,903 educating each child, ahead of neighbouring East Sussex and West Sussex, which spend £2,854 and £2,750.

Some London authorities spend more than £4,000 per pupil.

Mr Blunkett is ordering councils to cut out red tape, have fewer officials in education departments and give more money to head teachers.

Today he announced an extra £385 million going directly to schools this year, a rise from 82.4 per cent to 84.2 per cent.

Next year he will urge councils to delegate at least 85 per cent of budgets to schools, an increase on this year's requirement of 80 per cent.

Spending per pupil on administration was expected to fall.

Brighton and Hove Council just failed to meet the 80 per cent target last year by 0.8 per cent, with East Sussex scoring 80.4 per cent and West Sussex 83.5 per cent.

This year all three Sussex authorities are on course to meet the target.

Mr Blunkett wants authorities to delegate 85 per cent of their budgets to schools in the year 2001 to 2002, increasing above ninety per cent for the rest of the decade.

He said: "Fair funding is not just about putting more money into schools' delegated budgets.

"It is about giving greater autonomy to schools. Head teachers are able to get the best value and the highest quality."