COUNTY education chiefs have angrily rejected Government allegations they are holding back millions of pounds which should be going to Kent schools.

The continuing row between education authorities and the Government escalated this week when Kent was accused of failing to allocate some between £16million and £18million to its schools.

But Kent County Council has hit back, saying an analysis by DfES officials is flawed and their conclusions “completely unfounded.”

It said that in many cases the Government was to blame for money being held back because certain grants could only go to schools once ministers had approved various plans – which had not yet happened.

KCC also pointed out it has reserved some money for later this year to cover the costs of meeting rising rolls and demand for extra places in September.

Cabinet Member for education Cllr Paul Carter said ministers were making councils the scapegoats for their own errors and their search for “missing millions” risked souring relations between schools and councils.

He said: “The Government’s own figures show Kent has passported through 100.5 per cent of funding for schools. The new funding formula is causing enormous confusion but nothing has changed in the way we passport the money through.

“It is particularly ironic we have been forced to ‘hold back’ £6.1m Standard Fund money because the DfES itself has not yet approved the bureaucratic plans they insist on signing off. All schools have been informed of any funding which remains to be allocated during the coming year.”

Headteachers also supported KCC, saying their financial problems were principally caused by higher National Insurance and pension contributions along with larger salary bills.

Peter Walker, of the Abbey School in Faversham and a leading member of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) said: “Local councils may be holding back something but it is nowhere near as much as the Government says it is. Few things have an impact as much as salary increases and I know of schools facing a £400,000 deficit.”

The DfES has asked Kent to explain why it has yet to pass on the cash. In particular, officials wants to know why Kent is spending a “significant amount” of its revenue money – which covers schools’ day-to-day running costs – on building projects at a time when the Government has increased capital spending

KCC has also been asked to explain “large variations” in the individual increases to schools within the overall education budget.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Trudy Dean said: “We need to ensure our schools have enough to operate efficiently and if what KCC is doing is preventing that, we need to look at it.”

Opposition Labour group leader Cllr Mike Eddy said: “There are questions which need answering here, not least how much the system of education in Kent is costing the public purse.”

A number of Kent schools have already warned shortfalls in their budgets will mean job cuts.