KENT County Council’s long-term debts have risen to a massive £619m, according to its latest accounts.

The sum has gone up by more than £23m since last year, when the figure stood at just under £596m.

According to the authority’s latest set of audited accounts, Kent’s external debts now stand at £619.5m. The figure is thought to be one of the highest in the country.

Of that, some £579m is down to money borrowed from the Public Works Loan Board. A further £15m is down to loans on the money markets with £24m owed to the European Investment Bank.

KCC will have to pay off nearly £10m by 2005 and a further £47m the following two to five years. The amount of money that Kent now borrows is much higher than in the past because of changes in the way the Government funds large-scale building projects.

In the past, the costs of new roads and schools would be met by the Government with a system of direct grants. However, all local authorities now have to borrow the money themselves and meet the costs.

Council leaders say that as a result, their debts have risen.

Cllr Nick Chard, Conservative finance spokesman, said: “We used to get grants from central government to build roads, for example, but that has now stopped. Most councils are in debt - even those who may have been debt free in the past.”

He added: “We are not digging a big hole for ourselves and we do need to spend this kind of money to make sure the infrastructure is right. It is about affordable debt levels and Kent’s finances are well managed. If our capital debt is going up, that is the fault of central government.”

Opposition parties predicted KCC’s debts would continue to grow if the council was to make the investment in schools and roads that were needed.

Liberal Democrat leader Trudy Dean said: “It is inescapable. If our children are to be educated in schools fit for the 21st century money will have to be spent. I do not see see any chance of it changing in the long term.”