Kent County Council has refused to admit a no-deal Brexit would "have an unacceptable impact" despite a damning report showing Kent could come to a standstill if this happened.

According to the 17-page report, it could leave children unable to take exams, rubbish uncollected by the roadside and carers unable to reach vulnerable elderly people.

Hundreds of council staff may have to work from home for up to six months as part of the contingency plans.

Despite these fears, the majority of councillors voted down an amendment by the Liberal Democrats to tell the Government to "rule out a no-deal Brexit which would have an unacceptable impact on the county of Kent".

Leader of the group at KCC, Cllr Rob Bird (Lib Dem) said: "Councillors from various parts of Kent are issuing dire warnings about the impact on lorry congestion in their areas.

"They do not want these contingency plans to take place, none of us do."

The political group also called for the government "to publish all its plans for facilitating Cross-Channel logistics post Brexit to enable Kent’s residents, businesses and other organisations to make their own plans accordingly".

To prevent details of the negotiations leaking, the government has issued non-disclosure agreements to those privy to preparation details.

At the KCC debate today (December 13), Cllr Bird added: "Is it really in the public interest that the preparations that we will have to deal with in three and a half months's time should be secret from people.

"How can they plan? That's not acceptable neither is a no-deal Brexit."

However Cllr Jeremy Kite (Con) claims ruling no-deal out would give Europe a "carte blanche to do nothing in the interest of the British people".

He said: "You can't have a negotiation of that kind, there has to be a tension on both sides and a recognition that people do have to get together and achieve things together - there will have to be compromise.

"There also has to be an understanding that Europe has as much to lose from a no-deal Brexit as we do."

He added: "It is our role and duty to prepare and protect the people of Kent for things that may be beyond our immediate control."

He also called the plan a "naked political motion" to discredit the referendum result.

Only 11 councillors voted for the Liberal Democrat's plans and 54 opposed the idea.