Oliver has written to Hertfordshire County Council to call a meeting to discuss sites for new schools in Hertsmere.
After signing the letter, Oliver said: ‘Hertsmere Borough Council are currently updating their Local Plan, the document that will shape development in our area over the coming decades. It is crucial that if we build new homes that the character of the area is preserved and that they are matched by the right infrastructure, including good school places.
‘As Hertsmere’s MP I have been campaigning for better local state education. Hertsmere and the County Council agree we need significantly more school places to meet the expected demand from new housing. However, I am concerned that there has been little progress towards actually identifying suitable sites for these new schools.
‘That’s why I’m calling a meeting to get the Borough Council and County Council in the same room so we can move this process forward and make sure that the good school places our children need are delivered.’
The division of local government responsibilities means that Hertfordshire County Council are in charge of approving plans for new schools, while Hertsmere Borough Council must find the sites for them in the Local Plan.
The Local Plan Update is an ongoing process and the Council are examining a wide range of options to meet the Government’s targets for house building. In September last year, the Council published its ‘Issues and Options Report’ which set out its first ideas, including a new garden village, urban extensions and brownfield development.
Oliver added: ‘How we meet the needs of a growing community is one of the biggest challenges we face here in Hertsmere. I constantly stress that while we must provide homes for the next generation, we must also make sure that we keep what makes our area special. Our green open spaces are essential to preserving our Borough’s town and villages, creating distinct communities and preventing ugly urban sprawl.
‘I strongly urge everyone in Hertsmere to engage with the consultation on this. It is one of the main ways for the Council understand people’s views and has a real impact on the final shape of the plans. If you don’t express your views now it will be much harder to do so later. Similarly, as Hertsmere’s MP I am determined to ensure that residents’ views are heard by decision makers and I will continue to meet regularly with the Council over the coming months.’
