IN the 18 months since being elected to power, Labour has promised more than pound;20 billion extra for education by 2001. But ministers haven’t just given local authorities the cash; they have made them bid for almost pound;1 billion so far.

Councils have done so with varying degrees of success. They now have to compete against each other for cash to reduce the size of primary classes, for school repairs and even to get rid of outside toilets.

They must also bid for money for the National Literacy Strategy, for education action zones, and the National Grid for Learning.

Today The TES analyses just how every local authority has fared. We have looked at all the money won by schools and authorities since last year’s general election and compared it with pupil rolls for January 1997.

We list the main winners and losers, and contrast the different experiences of two north London boroughs, Barnet and Enfield.

Barnet comes in at No 8 in the top 40 rankings of councils, with pound;151.30 per pupil, while its neighbour languishes at No 3 in the bottom 40, with a mere pound;42 per pupil since the election.

Clare Dean and Frances Rafferty Research by Jon Slater