THE prospect of Colney Heath being turned into the "dustbin of Hertfordshire" with the whiff of rotting food filling the air looked like it was one step closer in August.

Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities, said he would not intervene with the application to build a waste digester in Coursers Road, because "the proposals do not involve a conflict with national policies on important matters, or have significant effects beyond their immediate locality".

An outcome is yet to be decided.

Meanwhile we reported about a St Albans mother who was outraged after her 11-year-old son was told by a county council truancy officer he would have to “work harder in life” because of the colour of his skin.

In her complaint to the council, Rosamaria Failla said her son, Sonny, was told: “Because you are not a white British boy, you are going to have to work harder in life to gain people’s respect and to achieve things.”

Hertfordshire county council later apologised. The Review also reported about a pair who vowed to keep hold of the history of St Albans pubs by compiling a CD collecting photographs of 274 pubs and signs to raise money for an adults and children’s hospice.

Rosemary Wenzerul and Tony Stevens decided to compile photographs of past and present pubs after they noticed many were closing down in the area.

In November the pair reached their £1,000 target. It was also announced schools in St Albans and Harpenden were set to welcome more pupils from September next year in an attempt to ease the squeeze on primary places.

The Grove Junior School in Harpenden will take on an extra 15 children next September while Sandridge Primary School will welcome an extra nine students.The Grove Infant and Nursery will also be able to accept 15 more youngsters.