9:38am Friday 19th February 2010
By Alexandra Barham
HERTFORDSHIRE County Council has recommended £82.5 million to fund additional school places - with St Albans first in the pecking order to benefit.
The money was agreed by the Conservative controlled council's ruling cabinet committee at a meeting this week, as councillors continue their fight to plug a predicted shortfall in places.
No potential new sites have been formally identified but Richard Thake, cabinet member for education and skills, said the St Albans district, along with areas like Watford, remained a high priority.
Councillor Thake said: "I will be asking for cross-party support next Tuesday [at the full council meeting convened to officially approve the plans], and I don't anticipate there being a problem.
"We have gone through the process of differentiating what the potential demand for places are for the next five years. There are areas where there are surpluses and areas where there is a deficit of school places. St Albans is within the local areas where there is a deficit."
He told the Review earlier this month that a new primary school will be built in the district in response to the growing demand for places, likely to strip six or seven million from the council's budget.
Over the next two years the county council will be identifying possible sites for development. However, the unspecified site will be on an area of Green Belt land somewhere in the area of St Albans.
Councillor Thake continued: "I cannot give any specific time frame for a new school because the county council does not own a piece of land suitable for this purpose.
"I will continue to give this matter my close personal attention until a solution has been found."
Meanwhile, an expansion plan for more St Albans primary schools could be agreed, but Richard said negotiations were ongoing with several schools identified for the scheme.
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