New school edges closer for Rickmansworth area (From Watford Observer)

New school edges closer for Rickmansworth area

11:41am Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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The campaign to build a new secondary school in the Rickmansworth area will take a significant step forward tomorrow (Friday) when formal notice is served that it is necessary.

Hertfordshire County Council, responsible by law for educating children, is currently in consultation with Three Rivers District Council to stem the increasing shortfall of secondary places – highlighted again last week when dozens of local children were refused a place at their first choice schools.

The county council was given a March 12 deadline by the district council to provide in writing a formal request for a new school to included in its local development plan – a legal document that will allow the formal consultation process to begin in the new financial year.

County Councillor Richard Thake, cabinet member for education, told the Watford Observer this morning that this deadline would almost certainly be met.

He explained: “What we thought would be a simple process has turned into a bit of a marathon because it is a formal response [between local authorities].

“But we can now go through the process of acquiring the sites.”

Councillor Thake, who confirmed that at least one secondary school site would soon be found, said the process could now been advanced to a formal legal level, allowing for the possible compulsory purchase of a suitable site.

At least eight potential sites are known to have been explored by both local authorities. The details of these, however, remain a closely guarded secret.

Councillor Thake also explained that the letter paved the way for short-term extension of some, currently unspecified, local schools.