A councillor has admitted wrongly blaming Rainham School for Girls for delays during Medway's shambolic 11-plus exams.

The Derwent Way school defended its part in the Medway Test shambles after it found itself at the centre of controversy when exams overran by 90 minutes.

It has now emerged a Conservative councillor initially blamed Rainham Girls for the problems.

In an email to a relative of a pupil, Cllr Vaughan Hewett said: "What is very embarrassing for Rainham Girls is their incompetency, especially as they are in the process of acquiring academy status."

Sheila Mann, chairman of governors at Rainham School for Girls, said the school had nothing to do with Medway Council's "poor administration" of the exams.

She explained: "Rainham School for Girls were not asked to provide any extra assistance other than premises access. The administration and organisation of the test on the day was agreed to be the sole responsibility of Medway Council, this is a fact that appears to be overlooked."

When the Medway Messenger contacted Cllr Hewett about the email, he said it had been a misunderstanding.

He added: "I am saying now that I don't think Rainham Girls were responsible. The tests were run by Medway Council. I have apologised to the school. That's history now.

"We all now know the administration was not the responsibility of the school. What I said was based on what I had heard in the media and what parents were telling me at the time."

Cllr Hewett said Rainham Girls should take some of the blame because a plant sale was taking place at the same time as the exams.

He said: "What I would say to parents now would depend on what their complaints were. The administration was Medway Council's responsibility. Parents have also complained about other activities that were going on at the school.

"The school has some blame. The school has to be responsible for what is taking place on its site. You don't have a plant sale when the Medway Test is going on."

Medway Council asked Rainham Girls to be an additional venue for the exams on August 8. The plant show, which has been taking place at the school since 2005, was booked at least 12 months in advance.