EDUCATION chiefs are uncertain about where funding for a hugely successful initiative, aimed at educating youngsters about a healthy lifestyle, will come from next year.

The Warrington Healthy Schools initiative, WHS, provides advice and information about a wide range of subjects including drugs, bullying and road safety and has been running in the borough since 1995.

The project achieved national accreditation in April last year but relies on Government funding of £100,000, which is only guaranteed until March.

Malcolm Roxburgh, director of education, said he is unsure where the money will come from as the DfES, Department for Education and Skills, is proposing to cut certain grants paid through the Standards Fund.

He is hoping the funding will be included as part of other grants and Warrington local education authority and its schools will then be able to decide how the money is spent.

Mr Roxburgh said: "We don't know yet what will happen after March as the Government has announced that certain categories of the Standards Fund will be reduced.

"Instead of having it in specific grants it will come as part of the overall funding arrangements for the LEA, which means we have to check that we are actually getting the money.

"The Government will be making an announcement in October so we can't guarantee that there won't be a problem with the funding.

"The truth is that we just don't know at the moment but we are sure that funding is guaranteed until the end of March."

There are currently five people working for the WHS visiting schools in Warrington and two additional posts will be created later this month.

Out of 88 schools in Warrington, four have achieved healthy school standard and seven are hoping to be successful by the end of the next academic year.