The council said more executive funding is needed

Ministers said that first and second year maths and English classes must have 20 pupils at the most in 2007.

However, Angus Council education convener Jack Gibb said there were major difficulties in meeting that.

The Scottish Executive said �32.5m this year and �50.3m next year had been made available for national targets.

Angus Council has proposed placing new limits on pupil intake at two secondary schools in the area.

One of its main concerns in meeting the target by August is the condition of and space in its school buildings, with most of the eight secondary schools running at almost full capacity.

In order to meet the executive's commitments to increasing teacher numbers and to reducing class sizes, it is essential that sufficient funding is made available by the executive to local councils Jack Gibb, Education convener

Mr Gibb said the authority was facing "huge logistical difficulties" in hitting the target and that executive funding allocated to Angus had fallen short of aspirations.

In a letter to Education Minister Peter Peacock, he said: "In order to meet the executive's commitments to increasing teacher numbers and to reducing class sizes, it is essential that sufficient funding is made available by the executive to local councils.

"As yet, this is not the case."

Mr Gibb said the council, which is on track to hit the primary 1 class size target of 25 pupils, had shown a clear commitment to improving education.

School capacity

However, he added: "The S1/S2 English/Maths class size maximum of 20 pupils may not be achieved in full by August 2007.

"However the target may well be achievable in some, possibly most, of our schools on time if some additional resources are made available by the executive."

The council has now proposed to set new first year intake and school capacity limits at Webster's High School in Kirriemuir and Arbroath High School, partly because of class size targets.