A cross-party group of Southampton councillors has written to education secretary Michael Gove (left) calling for much-needed investment in the city's school buildings.

Bitterne Park School will now receive funding under the Priority Schools Programme, having missed out on investment when the coalition government scrapped the Building Schools for the Future scheme when it came into power in 2010. However the letter points out that there are other Southampton secondaries desperately needing an injection of cash.

The cross-party group wrote in its letter to Michael Gove: "We welcome the investment from the Priority Schools Programme, which was confirmed in the Spending Review for one of our secondary schools that was originally earmarked for Building Schools for the Future funding – Bitterne Park. There are several other secondary schools in the city that desperately need the same level of investment, who are performing well but in far from ideal conditions in terms of the built environment."

Cllr Sarah Bogle, Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Learning, said: "I welcome cross-party support for investment in those Southampton secondary schools that really need it. This investment will be key to improving educational outcomes, and undoubtedly will have a very positive impact on the economy and the local communities the schools are part of."

Pic of Michael Gove under CC2 by Policy Exchange