COUNTY education chiefs say they are facing a multi-million pound shortfall which could hit schools next year.

Kent County Council's ruling Conservative administration says the Government has left it with a funding gap for schools which could be as high as £19million.

According to Cllr Paul Carter, KCC's cabinet member for education, council taxpayers could be hit as a result.

KCC says the Government is expecting the education authority to pick up the tab for a difference between what it has been told to spend on education - 6.6 per cent - and an actual increase of 3.2 per cent per pupil.

Cllr Carter said the authority faced a difficult choice and even if it did eventually decide to spend the full 6.6 per cent, education spending next year would only be at a standstill.

"With teachers' pay awards and increased National Insurance contributions, schools already have pressures on them of about 6.6 per cent. I am doing all I can to get as good a settlement as possible but have every sympathy with council taxpayers who have been had large increases over the last three years," he said.

Kent has been told by the Government that its education budget will increase by £42million in 2003-04.

But council officials have told all 620 Kent schools in a letter that in reality, the adjusted figure only amounts to £29.6million and there could be an "eight per cent real term reduction".

Schools minister David Miliband has insisted that no education authority will be losing out as a result of its funding package. The Government has reserve powers to set a minimum budget for schools if it thinks education authorities are setting spending levels too low.

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "David Miliband will respond to the specific points in KCC's letter. The new system is fairer, simpler, more transparent and more up-to-date. Our aim is that similar pupils in different parts of the country are treated in a similar way.

"Every LEA will be getting at least 3.2per cent per pupil - no LEA will be worse off. This real terms guarantee will continue as long as necessary."