Kent County Council says the number of vulnerable children arriving after crossing the Channel is placing the authority under unsustainable strain and the government must intervene.

According to the latest figures, KCC is looking after 605 unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC).

That is 259 more than the government’s own threshold for triggering the point at which the National Transfer Scheme is officially imposed.

The scheme requires other authorities to accept allocated children who are in Kent.

KCC is currently taking legal action over the government’s dispersal scheme and the lack of enforcement.

Cllr Sue Chandler, cabinet member for children’s services, said the council was involved in three judicial reviews that centred on the government’s failure to enforce the dispersal scheme.

She revealed that since July 27, some 277 asylum seeker children had arrived on Kent’s shores, of which 207 had been found accommodation – either in Kent or other counties.

Cllr Chandler said: “Our principal concern relates to the operation of the National Transfer Scheme. A court hearing is scheduled for October but we cannot wait til then.

“We are pushing for proper enforcement by the Secretary of State. There is a significant amount of work undertaken that has pushed our services to the limit.

“On these numbers, it is clear the council is in an unsustainable position which requires meaningful intervention from central government, with agreements on an effective and properly enforced transfer system. Kent should not have to shoulder what is a national problem.”

But she said that the numbers would increase in the coming weeks because of the better weather.

“On these numbers you can see the significant impact on Kent and on the young children arriving,” said Cllr Chandler.

“We have always been clear that there are areas where the council has difficult decisions. Our primary focus has always been the safety of children arriving in Kent.”

The disclosure of the number of arrivals was highlighted in a meeting of KCC’s Conservative-run cabinet which said the authority was already facing pressure on its overall budget with a £43.7 million gap.

Between now and October, council chiefs are to examine where other savings can be made but acknowledge that is likely to hit frontline services.

Speaking at the meeting, council leader Cllr Roger Gough said the financial plight was “not sustainable”.

“Some of that rests in the hands of the government but it is vital we do everything we can to close those gaps and ensure a sustainable future for the county,” said Cllr Gough.