The government has been warned that Kent may not have enough school places because of delays opening several free schools.

In a joint letter to the education secretary Justine Greening, KCC leader Paul Carter and education cabinet member Cllr Roger Gough warn of “the very serious difficulties” the council is experiencing with planning places.

A growth in population in Kent means that the county council has had to plan for an estimated 23,000 extra places between now and 2023.

The letter, released to the KM Group following a Freedom of Information request, was sent to the government in February. It vividly describes how the council is struggling to meet demand.

It blames hold-ups in plans for free schools for the growing pressure, saying the Education Funding Agency - which is responsible for signing off on free school proposals - has failed “to manage the process...to bring projects forward.”

Mr Carter warns: “There are particular examples our officers have raised….which risk leaving families without a school place for their child, in one instance resulting from the shortfall of hundreds of places in a single town if urgent action is not taken to address the project delays.”

It is not known where the town is.

Ms Greening is told that the EFA management of schemes is “generally very poor” and its officials have “little knowledge or understanding of the issues at hand.”

KCC is responsible for ensuring there are enough places but has to do so in the face of a government policy that where entirely new schools are needed, they must be free schools rather than council run schools.

However, the council says it is “completely unacceptable” not enough places are being created “quickly or efficiently enough” and there is a risk that it could fail to meet its statutory requirements.

The issue has been flagged up a number of times by KCC officials.

In January, education director Patrick Leeson said: “We are at a tipping point where the level of risk is quite a serious concern.

"We have several free school projects that are now a year behind schedule; the fact that they are behind schedule is that we are finding it increasingly difficult to meet demand for places in some key areas of Kent.”

It concludes by saying the council may no longer be able to assure ministers that there will be places for every child.

Both KCC and the Department for Education were approached to comment.