HUNDREDS of three-year-olds across West Sussex are in line for free nursery places following a new multi-million cash boost announced today.

The Department for Education and Employment is releasing £100 million to help double the number of free nursery places by 2002.

And there are millions of pounds more on offer to local education authorities who can hit free place targets.

The LEA in West Sussex, which currently provides 794 free places, will receive £1,065,000 if it can create an extra 918 places in private and voluntary playgroups and pre-schools across the county by 2002. If it fails to hit its target, it will receive £189,080, enough for 163 new places.

A county council spokesman said: "We will strive to hit our target, which the Government gave us today, so that we are eligible for our full grant."

The department expects the cash to go mainly to private and voluntary sector playgroups in areas where the need is greatest, in line with a new report also published today called Tomorrow's Children.

The Government report calls for pre-schools and playgroups to play a greater role in the early education of children.

Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships, controlled by the various local education authorities, will meet to decide which groups should benefit from the latest cash boost, announced today by Margaret Hodge, Minister for Employment and Equal Opportunites.

Last month she

allocated £40 million to the scheme.

Mrs Hodge said: "The increase will mean that in 2000-01 more than 50 per cent of three-year-olds

will be entitled to a free early education place.

"We are well on our way to achieving our aim of doubling the number of free places for three-year-olds.

"Over 80 per cent of the free places created in September are provided by the private and voluntary sectors and we expect to see them continuing to play a key role when all local partnerships benefit from this new money from next April.

"The Government is working closely with practitioners to ensure that the places we are creating will meet

all the needs of the children - educational, physical and social."

Brighton and Hove will receive the

second-highest award in the South East.

A total of 1,046 new places will be created, thanks to a minimum award of £1,213,360.

East Sussex has been awarded £127,600, enough for 110 new places.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.