SCHOOLS in Kent have raided their reserves to the tune £18million to stave off budget cuts this year.

County education chiefs say the amount of cash held by Kent’s 600-plus schools in reserve has fallen to £15million from £33million the previous year.

At the same time, twice as many schools have been forced to set deficit budgets this year as they struggle to cope with cash shortages.

KCC has confirmed 57 schools’ budgets are in the red this year-–a record number. Some of those deficits run into six figures.

The figures reveal the serious funding difficulties confronting schools this year. They coincide with a pledge by the Education Secretary Charles Clarke to plough £800million more into education budgets next year.

Money held in reserve by schools is often there to pay for new buildings or other facilities but the Government was forced to allow schools to use the cash to avoid job losses and other funding cuts.

Mr Clarke’s promise has been seen as a U-turn after an acrimonious row over budget shortfalls.

Councils and schools complained bitterly the Government’s budget settlement left them short of cash because it had not taken into account extra costs, such as pay rises and higher National Insurance contributions.

Mr Clarke said every school would, from next year, get a minimum per-pupil increase.

“This package is designed to secure stability and to restore confidence in our funding arrangements for schools,” he said.

The news has failed to impress some. County council leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart (Con) said it remained unclear whether councils would actually end up with more money.

“What the Secretary of State has said is that he will guarantee what local councils will give to schools without guaranteeing what councils will actually get to give to schools. Kent is due to lose six per cent more school funding over the next two years anyway. Clearly, that needs to be put back in.”

Cllr Paul Carter, KCC's cabinet member for education, said it was up to the Government to “fill the void.”

“The outlook for next year looks bleak. We are to lose at least a further £12million of Standards Fund money and changes in area cost will result in a loss of £33million for schools over the next few years.”

Ashford MP and shadow education secretary Damian Green said: “The money is there to resolve a problem next year rather than solve a problem this year. There will need to be a substantial increase if schools can only get back to the position they are in now,” he said.