The controversy surrounding the delayed opening of a new free school in Croxley Green has led to calls for a review into the decision.

Last week it emerged Croxley Green Secondary School is planned to open in 2017, despite parents being told it would open next September.

Councillor Nigel Bell, who sits on the education committee at Hertfordshire County Council, called for the authority and school leaders to review the opening date after parents felt "duped" after supporting plans because it would open in 2016.

The school will be based in Baldwins Lane after Three Rivers District Council stripped the site of its Green Belt status in January last year.

Councillor Bell said: "I believe parents of year 5 children in West Watford and south-west Herts need a review of the decision not to open the school until 2017 and return to the original pledge from the County Council and the Croxley Green School to open in 2016.

"The county council originally forecasted a shortfall in places for 2016 in all their papers and it was one of the main drivers to get the school set up.

"That was why it was planned to open it in 2016 from the beginning.

"Many of those Year 5 families fought for it and spent a lot of their time planning for it on this basis."

Last week, one parent told the Watford Observer: "We put our hearts on the line - we did not know how it will pan out but we backed it and that has upset a lot of parents.

"Now it feels like we do not exist anymore. It feels like they have got what they wanted and now we are not needed."

However, Dr Josephine Valentine said the decision to delay the opening of the new school was made by the Department for Education.

She said: "St Clement Danes School applied to the DfE to open the new school in September 2016 and it was the Department for Education's decision to defer the opening date to 2017."

Councillor Bell pointed towards The Reach Free School, which is currently based in Tolpits Lane, and plans for them to move to a permanent site in Maple Cross and suggested the Croxley Green Secondary School could take over the temporary site in 2016 to help curb the shortage of places.

The Labour councillor added: "Although many of these children may get a school, it will be a long way from their homes if the original date and plan is not adhered to.

"These families will have little choice but to be sent to whatever school is left rather than a proper considered offer.

"As the ‘The Reach Free school’ has always been for children who live closest to Mill End Community Centre, this would leave many children in West Watford and Croxley too far away.

"If The Reach Free school is moving from it’s temporary accommodation to it’s permanent site in 2016 this would be ideal for the Croxley Green school to move in to in 2016."

The Department for Education has been approached by the Watford Observer for a comment, but did not receive a response.

Chris Hayward, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “I sympathise with parents who are disappointed with the Department for Education’s decision to open Croxley Free School in 2017 rather than 2016 and we are working hard to mitigate the impact of this decision.

"However, it is important that parents understand that our forecasts predict that there will enough school places to meet demand in south west Herts for 2016, and we will ensure that there is a school place for every child that needs one.

"This should not overshadow the exciting news that approval has been given for a new secondary free school in Croxley Green, which will provide an extra 1,200 high-quality places for pupils in south west Hertfordshire.

“My sincere thanks to St Clements Danes, which as a school judged as ‘outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted is in an excellent position to support a new and growing secondary, the Croxley Green School Trust and Watford Borough Council for their hard work in securing high quality secondary school provision for this area.”