CHANCELLOR Gordon Brown's good news budget came as a surprise to most people. He stunned opposition MPs by cutting income tax and promising cash help for pensioners and poor young families.

But in Warrington, his ambitious £1.7 billion plan to bring computers into every school, which he calls "ICT for All", has already been pre-empted.

Just five days earlier, and as reported in last week's Warrington GUARDIAN, William Beamont High School had launched its own Computers for All Initiative, which the school says exactly mirrored the Chancellor's proposal.

With help from Warrington Borough Council, the school is providing e-mail and Internet access for community groups, residents and primary schools.

Head teacher John O'Callaghan said: "I could not believe my eyes when I saw the details of the Chancellor's announcement. His proposal is a carbon copy of our initiative. Even the names of the two schemes are almost the same."

He added: "I am delighted to hear of the announcement and that the government is committed to supporting important community projects like ours. Our hope is that this is one further way in which schools and their communities can work together to improve the quality of life for people in the locality."

The good news for schools included a £20million scheme to provide every teacher with a computer at home and £2,000 for each school to buy new books. Secretary of the Warrington branch of the National Association of Head Teachers David Littlewood said: "It's not clear when the money will arrive in the schools, but it has got to be welcome. On first reading this appears to be a very positive budget for schools."

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