Plans for free schools have been dismissed as an "expensive exercise" and "a joke" with no chance of success by two of the region's education leaders.

Christine Channon, Devon County Council's cabinet member for schools, said none of the plans on the table for the county could be successful. .

Conservative councillor Ms Channon said: "To be honest, the idea of a free school in Devon is a bit of a joke."

Her Cornish counterpart, Neil Burden, questioned the logic of an "expensive exercise" at times of financial austerity.

Both councillors are critical of the merits of the scheme headed up by Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Supporters must file their submissions to government by the end of next week to apply to set up schools which would be funded by Whitehall, but free from local authority control.

In Devon, the projects hoping to be selected include one backed by the Steiner School in Exeter and another by a group of parents and supporters in North Devon, known as Route 39. A Tarka Academy aims to be set up near Barnstaple and another group plans for an alternative education at a project called School of my Dreams. Ms Channon said many of the applicants were on a "dream trip", and had not had the right advice.

She added: "You have to have a sound business plan and a sound academic case, and you will produce the results that the minister is looking for.

"To start that process from scratch is quite tricky."

She predicted the proposal for a Steiner school, which advocates an alternative method of teaching and focuses on the "whole child", would fail because it does not have a particular site in mind.

The North Devon project was in the wrong location, Ms Channon said, and would impact on other intakes and not attract enough numbers to be viable. It is planned for a site between Bideford and Holsworthy, and hopes to take pupils from either county.

"I don't see how they could survive in that large area," said Ms Channon.

Route 39 spokesman Sophie Poklewski Koziell said the project had received statements of support from the council. It is one of just 20 applications to have been selected for the New Schools Network Development Programme, which means it receives extra support in putting together its proposal.

"We've been told it's one of the strongest applications on the table," she said.

"I'm particularly surprised at the councillor's comments because in both our meetings, the local authority has supported our proposal and given us confidence."

In Plymouth, a Marine Academy Primary is proposed, and the Plymouth College of Arts wants to set up a "radical" free school plan which would move away from numeracy and literacy targets to an education which embraces creativity and cultural activities.

Principal Andrew Brewerton said: "They are looking for a very high level of detail, and critically hard evidence of demand.

"It goes down to the level of names, postcodes, and the ages of children who would be attending. The basic question for the public is 'Would I want to send my child there?'

"The evidence that we have is that a lot of people are saying the answer is 'Yes'."

In Cornwall, St Michael's Catholic School has become the first free school in the region. Cornwall independent councillor Mr Burden said the authority would work with the school, but added: "Considering the financial climate, I'm not sure it's the right time to be subsidising free schools, at quite a considerable cost."