Josh Dean MP backs Labour’s vital repairs to local schools

• Combined £1.2billion funding in schools and hospitals part of Labour’s promise to deliver public infrastructure improvements through its Plan for Change

• Classrooms and school facilities in Hertfordshire upgraded to be safe and warm

• MP backs investment to give local children the ‘best start in life’

Pupils in Hertford and Stortford are set to benefit from essential maintenance fixes being rolled out in schools across the country thanks to the Labour government, with up to £78.4 million being invested in schools across the East of England through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). 

Children at Mill Mead Primary School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School and The Sele School will benefit from a share of £470 million for projects in education and healthcare settings, set to fix crumbling roofs and remove dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in England’s classrooms and undoing years of dangerous Conservative neglect.

The funding is part of Labour’s mission to fix the dire state of public services inherited from the Conservatives and deliver investment and reform through the Plan for Change, supporting children to get the best start in life.

It sits within a combined £1.2 billion funding package for schools and hospitals, reflecting Labour’s commitment to delivering public infrastructure improvements. It is also part of a record £2.1 billion investment into the school estate this year – £300 million more than the previous year – as Labour forges ahead with delivering for the public by investing in our children, their futures, and the future of this country.

Classrooms and school facilities in Hertfordshire will be upgraded to be safe and warm, as part of Labour’s wider ambition to provide energy-efficient, welcoming and supportive environments where children can learn and thrive.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“The defining image of the school estate under the previous government was children sitting under steel props to stop crumbling concrete falling on their heads. It simply isn't good enough.

Parents expect their children to learn in a safe, warm environment. It’s what children deserve, and it is what we are delivering.

This investment is about more than just buildings – it's about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.”

MP for Hertford and Stortford, Josh Dean, said:

“Parents across Hertford and Stortford will remember the terror of the RAAC crisis, the fear that children were no longer safe in their own school because of years of Tory neglect.

Labour is turning the page through our Plan for Change, literally fixing the foundations of our schools so local children are in a safe environment where they can achieve and thrive. 

With free breakfast clubs, cheaper uniform costs and safer schools, Labour is setting children up for the best start.”

Labour’s investment will deliver energy-efficient, warm classrooms with safe outdoor spaces that are not only fit for lessons but for the future. These improvements will create welcoming and supportive school environments for generations of children to come.

A further £1.4 billion will back the acceleration of the School Rebuilding Programme this year, with a commitment to kickstart projects at 100 schools this year alone. Labour’s plan will rejuvenate schools by delivering new, high-quality buildings that are not just energy efficient, but fit for all pupils’ needs. This will include high-tech facilities to raise standards in education, such as new sports halls, IT rooms, school kitchens, and playgrounds that children and staff can enjoy for years to come.

Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.”