Music lessons vow for every child in Bath and north east Somerset ...

Every child in Bath and north east Somerset will get the opportunity to sing or learn a musical instrument thanks to a new Arts Council initiative.

The local authority area has been named as one of 14 music education hubs in the south west, designed to give all five to 18-year-olds in the area access to high-quality music lessons.

The idea is for organisations across the area, including schools, music professionals, colleges and universities, to work together to provide a more joined-up thinking for music provision.

Bath MP Don Foster welcomed the news and said he was pleased that the local authority's dedication to music tuition had been recognised.

He said: "This new hub will bring together a host of organisations in Bath and the surrounding area to create a joined up music education for our children and young people.

"Providing education both in and out of school, the hubs represent a significant shift in the way music will be taught in this country."

Councillor Nathan Hartley, Bath and North East Somerset Council's cabinet member for children, early years and youth, added: "This is an innovative new approach to music education and in B&NES we will work to ensure hubs continue to evolve over the next three years. The aim of this work is to ensure that every child aged five to 18 in the authority has the opportunity to sing and learn a musical instrument regardless of where they live."

Over the next three years Arts Council England will be monitoring the work of the music hubs and helping them develop their plans.

The new system will be in place from August and will start delivering lessons from September.

Alan Davey, chief executive of Arts Council England, congratulated the council on its successful application to be part of the initiative.

He said: "After a robust application process we look forward to working with music education hubs to enhance and develop music education provision across the country.

"We look forward to seeing the music education hubs become a part of the cultural education offered to children and young people at a local level, and a part of the wider cultural landscape."

padma lakshmi daughtry lakers trade ann arbor news ides of march elizabeth smart nick young