TORY SCHOOL BOSSES ARE LETTING OUR CHILDREN DOWN

6.39.00pm GMT Thu 25th Mar 2010

Hertfordshire County Council, which has been Tory run for the last 10 years, has failed to provide enough school places across large areas of the county. Tory neglect has plunged schools into crisis with worried parents desperate for school places for their children. Liberal Democrats have for years been campaigning for more school places in Watford, Rickmansworth and St Albans. Sadly their warnings fell on deaf ears.

Despite offers of help from Liberal Democrat run Three Rivers District Council, despite constructive intervention by the Liberal Democrat Opposition on the County Council, the Tory parliamentary candidate for Watford has shamefully tried to deflect blame away from his party's mismanagement and on to the Liberal Democrats.

But the Tories run the schools, the Tories are responsible for the mess and it is the Tories who are now playing politics with our children's future.

FACT - the planning of school places is a County Council responsibility

FACT - the County Council have admitted failing to forecast the birth rate accurately

FACT - the County Council has been Tory run for 10 years

Chris White, Liberal Democrat Leader on the County Council said: 'The Tories proposed a flawed and wasteful budget. The Liberal Democrats proposed an alternative budget, which included more money for more school places. The Tories voted down our proposal to tackle the problem.

'It is a great shame they let spin get in the way of truth. The Tories have failed in their responsibility to provide enough school places. They should accept that responsibility, stop blaming others and get on with solving the problem. Our children need school places!'

Leader of Three Rivers District Council Ann Shaw added: 'It was the County Council which closed our schools regardless of demography and against strong local opposition. It was the County Council which sold the sites for development. And it was the County Council which failed to make provision for the education of the children who would predictably be living in the new homes and who would require school places.'