At last, the Government is tackling the unfairness in our school funding system that has seen Wiltshire schools get less than they should compared to schools in other counties.

On Thursday, Liberal Democrat Schools Minister David Laws announced that the Coalition Government is taking a big step towards fairer funding.

Acknowledging the strong campaign I have taken to to the Department for Education on this, the Minister announced that funding per pupil in Wiltshire will rise to more than £4,300 next April.

It means an extra £5.4 million for Wiltshire’s schools next year, on top of the £13 million they’ll get from the Pupil Premium, introduced by the Liberal Democrats in Government to help teach disadvantaged children.

On Friday, I was at Ivy Lane Primary School in Chippenham, which receives Pupil Premium funding for nearly a third of its children. I heard from the teachers about how they are using the extra £90,000 they get through the premium to help give every child the best start, and celebrated the children’s success in this year’s Big Pedal cycling competition.

I also attended the grand opening of Corsham Primary School’s new building. The stunning extension, made possible by a £1.35 million grant from the Coalition Government, replaces four mobile classrooms.

Along with other Wiltshire MPs and councillors, I met the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership to discuss the progress in securing a ‘City Deal’ for our part of the country.

It was great to have the chance to speak to local employers, agencies, apprentices and job-hunters who attended Saturday’s Opportunity Melksham jobs fair, put on by Melksham Extended Services.

I also met a young musician in Corsham, who has trained 100 local people to be presenters for a new community radio station, KIK. I looked round his makeshift studio in The Pound arts centre where, incidentally, on ‘Learn to Play Day’ next month you can have a free lesson to try playing a musical instrument. More information is online at www.learntoplayday.com.

I am currently looking for a new caseworker to join my team in Chippenham. If you are interested, please visit www.tinyurl.com/ChippenhamCaseworker.

My next constituency surgery will be at Avonbridge House, Chippenham on Friday, March 28, from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.