HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has rebutted government claims that money is being kept back from local schools.

Schools across the UK are suffering massive shortfalls in funding, leading to warnings of redundancies.

And Secretary of State for Education Charles Clarke has accused councils of causing the problems by diverting money intended for education into other projects.

He claims that millions of pounds have been spent on building projects rather than being pumped into the classroom.

As a result, Mr Clarke has threatened local education authorities with an overhaul of their role if matters do not improve.

But a spokesman for Hertfordshire County Council which received the second lowest increase in funding of all local authorities earlier this year said: "Certainly as far as Hertfordshire goes, money has not been misspent.

"Hertfordshire County Council had to fill a £5.9 million funding gap to protect our local schools."

Labour Councillor Tanis Kent, who chairs the council's children, schools and families scrutiny committee, agreed with this viewpoint.

She said: "I can't speak for other authorities, but in Hertfordshire we have given the schools all of the allocated money plus more.

"The reason we put the council tax up was primarily to safeguard the county's schools.

"My own view is that the Government underestimated the cost of teachers' wage rises."

Councillor Kent said she was hopeful that redundancies could be avoided in Hertfordshire this year.

However, she also expressed worry about what would happen the year after.

The comments from Hertfordshire follow a similarly indignant response from the Local Government Association, which represents all county councils.

The chairman of this body, Sir Jeremy Beecham, said: "Local councils continue to spend £100 million more on schools than central government provision.

"Money is not being held back.

"All of it will be spent during the coming year, as agreed between local councils and local schools to meet local needs."