Progress to find new school sites to meet an expected growing demand is stalling, according to a senior politician.

Oliver Dowden, MP for Hertsmere, has written to Hertfordshire County Council in an attempt to accelerate talks between the county council and Hertsmere Borough Council.

With thousands of new homes projected to be built across the borough over the next 15 years, the local plan, which is currently being put together, needs to give an idea as to where new schools and other key infrastructure may go.

The county council are responsible for approving plans for new schools while the borough council have been tasked with finding potential sites.

Mr Dowden said: "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. 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 politician has held separate meetings with the the chairman of the Education, Localism, and Localism cabinet at Hertfordshire County Council, Terry Douris, and head of planning at Hertsmere, Christine Lyons, alongside Cllr Harvey Cohen.

Members of the public are being urged to have their say and let the council know their views during the consultation period. To make a comment and find out more about the local plan in Hertsmere, visit https://www.hertsmere.gov.uk/Planning--Building-Control/Planning-Policy/Local-Plan/New-Local-Plan-Planning-for-Growth.aspx