HAMPSHIRE'S education chief has backed Conservative plans to allow parents to set up their own schools but said he doubted whether they would be right for the county.

Tory councillor David Kirk said he does not believe there will be "enormous appetite" for new independent schools in Hampshire.

His comments came as Tory leader David Cameron was heckled over the plans for "free schools" on a visit to the Lib Dem marginal seat of Romsey and Southampton North.

Cllr Kirk said: "If local authorities are doing the job well, there is going to be little demand for this. I think there will be parent groups concerned about standards in other parts of the country where local education authorities are not performing so well, but I hope there won't be many in Hampshire.

"My suspicion so far is there is not going to be enormous appetite for setting up new schools in Hampshire because in the main people are happy with the existing ones. I may be proved wrong but I don't think I will be."

His comments come after the leader of the biggest local education authority criticised Conservative plans for free schools. Tory leader of Kent County Council Paul Carter said he was worried funding for free schools could mean council-run schools get less money."

But Cllr Kirk said shadow Tory education spokesman Michael Gove had reassured councils any funding for new schools would come from central government savings.

Cllr Kirk said: "It is not a question of Paul or myself being against Conservative policy. All we have been saying is don't forget local authorities also have a role to play."

The Conservative planning system would remove potential obstacles to the development of free schools by curtailing the power of local authorities.

Under the policy, as well as planning decisions on new schools being taken by the secretary of state for children, schools and families, anyone would be able to turn an existing building into a school without the need for planning permission.

Tory candidate for Romsey Caroline Nokes said: "There are excellent schools such as Mountbatten School and Romsey School in the Romsey constituency, parents do however need an opportunity to make a change for their children in areas where there have been Lib Lab councils and local schools have simply not come up to expectation."

She said she backed the new academy schools in Southampton and said the RC School at St George's in Swaythling hasd shown that faith schools can produce "tremendous improvements".