SITTINGBOURNE & Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt has expressed concern about the way Kent County Council has handled bids for sports funding for schools.

More than £10 million was made available to schools in Kent under the government's New Opportunities Fund and it was the responsibility of KCC, as education authority, to put together bids on behalf of the schools.

But Mr Wyatt said evidence from Sheppey and Sittingbourne was that the council had not properly briefed or consulted with schools or the community and bids were not based on an assessment of real needs.

Mr Wyatt has held a consultation meeting with schools in his constituency and representatives from a number of governing bodies. It was attended by representatives of the Football Association, Rugby Football Union, Amateur Swimming Association and Kent Cricket.

None had been consulted about the need to develop their sports in the constituency. The picture that emerged was one of serious flaws in the consultation process," said Mr Wyatt.

"Members of governing bodies for sport reported lack of consultation or of decisions being made in advance of any dialogue. Schools complained of letters arriving and demanding almost instant replies, without any possibility of consultation with the local areas."

He added one head teacher was totally ignored when he asked to submit a bid.

KCC's Cabinet member for education, Cllr Paul Carter, wrote to Mr Wyatt querying the value of the meeting because the council was close to deciding which schools would get the money. But officers from the New Opportunities Fund said the bidding process did not close until April 22 and schools should continue to press to be involved.

Mr Wyatt said: "This process does not appear to have been conducted in a very open way. Many decisions seem to have been made by KCC officers without consultation, and such consultation that has taken place has been rather token. We are not talking about the KCC's money here." KCC declined to comment.