A HEADTEACHER has urged parents to write to their MP to complain about Hertfordshire's low funding from central government that could see his school landed with a £100,000 shortfall.

Mr Andrew Cunningham, headteacher of Roundwood Park School, Harpenden, has written to parents via the school's newsletter warning them that "a clear and worrying picture" has emerged.

He said: "Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated the second lowest rate of increase for any authority and central Government has made significant reduction in grants that would normally come direct to schools.

"The net impact of all these changes for Hertfordshire schools would mean budgets in 2003/4 would be greatly reduced.

"My rough calculations suggest that for Roundwood Park our budget allocation would have fallen by £100,000."

Mr Cunningham added that he was shocked that the Government has decided to cut the grant for recruiting and retaining teachers one of the major problems in Hertfordshire.

The county council has agreed that for the coming year only it will attempt to make up the shortfall in budget allocations.

It is likely residents will face an increase in council tax to pay for this. Schools in the district will all face a budget deficit that could be tens of thousands of pounds each after 2004.

Mr Cunningham finished the letter by urging parents to contact their local MP to make their views known.

He said: "There can be no doubt that central government decisions have caused this situation, firstly by their treatment of HCC in the local government funding review and secondly by their decision to remove direct grants."

A spokesman for the county council said that although schools could expect a standstill budget this year, they will all feel the pinch in 2004/5.

St Albans Labour MP Kerry Pollard defended the Government's decision.

He said: "Hertfordshire's provisional grant settlement is 3.7 per cent, which is above inflation.

"Special education grants are given to fund specific projects and so last for a set time and schools take advantage of these all the time, but when the grant money runs out, they may see a reduction in funding."

Mr Pollard added he had met with the Parliamentary under secretary of state to question the low grants and would continue to push for more money for schools.

Harpenden MP Peter Lilley was unavailable for comment.