Education chiefs in West Sussex today came under fire for failing to pass-on money to cash-strapped schools.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke said the council was one of only 19 local authorities in England and Wales struggling to get funding through.

Mr Clarke's officials said only 99 per cent of the total the Government expected the council to pass-on from its increase in schools funding had been "passported" down.

Most other authorities smashed through the Government target, with East Sussex (105.1 per cent) and Brighton and Hove (103.7 per cent) passing-on more than expected.

West Sussex will now be asked to explain why more of the cash has not got through to schools struggling to make ends meet.

The figures were published by the Government in a bid to shift blame for the funding crisis hitting schools across the country.

Officials also revealed West Sussex County Council has kept back some of its 9.2 per cent increase in the budget for schools for central services.

The cash will instead be used to pay for special needs education, teaching pupils who have been excluded or for repairs.

But if the full increase had been passed on schools would have shared an extra £2.5 million this year.

Brighton and Hove and East Sussex also retained some of the money intended for schools for central services.

If Brighton and Hove's 6.6 per cent increase had been passed-on in full, schools would have had an extra 1.5 million. If the full amount of East Sussex's 9.8 per cent rise had gone to schools, they would have had an extra £1 million.

A dossier published by Mr Clarke also confirmed Brighton and Hove (£3.4m) and East Sussex (£1.4m) have cash sitting in the bank which has been earmarked for schools but has not yet been paid out.

Mr Clarke is seeking an explanation where the money is, and when it will reach schools.

He said: "I want every local education authority to look closely at their spending plans and their unallocated budgets in particular, to ensure the maximum possible amount is given to individual schools without delay.

"My department is today writing to all LEAs, asking them a series of questions on these issues and how schools were consulted.

"We are also asking LEAs to set out the steps they are intending to take to avoid any needless redundancies of teaching staff because of funding issues.

"It is vital that the extra investment the Government intends for schools reaches them."