As the Opposition Spokesperson on Education (Liberal Democrats) at Herts. County Council, Mark Watkin writes an open letter to Tery Douris (Conservative Portfolio Holder at HCC):

Conservative and Labour councillors have joined forces at North Herts Council to block a Liberal Democrat plan to save the Green Belt from thousands of houses that the latest predictions say are not needed in the district.

In July the Office for National Statistics (ONS) updated their predictions cutting the expected number of new households in the district by 2031 from over 13,000 to under 7,000. Even after adding factors that might increase the number and an entirely arbitrary 10% for "market signals" the professional planners could not justify a number more than 11,600.

No child should go hungry in the UK

Free School Meals are not currently provided outside school terms here in Hertfordshire. We think they should be. 

Hertfordshire County Council’s Locality Budget scheme has funded thousands of worthwhile projects since it was launched in 2009, making a positive difference to many Hertfordshire communities.

Resident and community groups can get free salt to grit their streets from Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) as the council starts to gear up for the winter.

Can you help with the Box Wood Public Rights of Way Application?

Local Liberal Democrats in Stevenage have warned that overstretched police in Hertfordshire are struggling to combat a surge in knife crime, and are calling for additional funding for community police.

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to commit to a Summer Learning Fund that would support 2443* disadvantaged children across the Stevenage constituency to get ready for returning to school.

I receive frequent complaints about the very poor state of the carriageway surface of the roundabout at Fairlands Way/Verity Way, sometimes on local Facebook sites. Be assured that I have been taking this important problem up with HCC for about 2 years now.

Following on from Councillor Parker’s post a few days ago I wanted to provide a bit more information on the process of applying to have the footpaths within Box Wood recognised as public Rights of Way.

The process of designating these as footpaths is known as a Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO). The application for a DMMO is submitted to Hertfordshire County Council who will then assess the evidence, consult with interested parties (applicants, landowners, parish and district councils) and make a decision.