COUNTY education chiefs say their plans to rebuild every school in Kent under a

£1.8 billion programme are still on track, despite reports the Government scheme is already behind schedule.

Every secondary school in Kent is due to be revamped under the Government’s Building Schools For The Future programme.

But the flagship initiative, announced by Tony Blair in 2004, has been hit by claims it had already missed its first targets.

One hundred schools were expected to have been rebuilt by the end of the year but only 14 will be.

Tim Byles, the man in charge of BSF and a former senior officer at Kent County Council, also admitted the initial plans were over-ambitious.

Kent County Council has already won the Government’s backing to rebuild 12 schools in Gravesham and Thanet, and has now got the go-ahead to draw up plans to rebuild schools in Dover, Shepway and Swale.

It is expected to announce which companies have been short-listed for the first phase of building work later this month.

Council leader Paul Carter (Con) said he was unaware of any problems in Kent.

He said: “I met Tim Byles before Christmas and there was no

suggestion that the plans for Thanet and Gravesham were affect-ed.”

But he conceded that everything was dependent on “the Government keeping its promises” and nothing was guaranteed

until contracts were signed.