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At least half of the borough’s traditional lollipop school crossing patrol service appear to have been saved.
This news follows a growing number of schools agreeing to pay for their crossing patrol service with the council also contributing.
Schools hosting 28 of the 48 patrols have now agreed in principle to the plans. Under the new arrangements, the council's contractor will continue to train, equip and insure school crossing patrol staff, while schools will fund salaries.
Councillor Colin Smith, Executive Councillor for Environment said, "We are extremely heartened and grateful that so many schools have agreed to join with us in partnership and help fund and preserve this service as best we can between us. We have listened very carefully over the months to Lollipop people themselves, head teachers, parents and resident associations as well as views expressed at the borough's four public consultation meetings prior to Christmas and we are now in touching distance of a sustainable solution. I can also announce my intention to recommend diverting most of the limited discretionary funding made available to us from TfL's annual grant, to further supplement the council's existing 'in kind' contribution potentially reducing schools financial exposure up to £2,000 per patrol."
Councillor Smith added, "The council is continuing to work closely with those schools who haven't signed up and whose patrols are set to disappear at the end of March to determine whether engineering solutions, sponsorship or a volunteer scheme could serve as helpful suitable alternatives."
ENDS
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