A total of 8 school crossing patrols are set to be axed on the Isle of Wight unless last minute alternative funding solutions can be found to retain services, however the Isle of Wight Council have confirmed that 9 patrols are being retained.
From September the Council will no longer be in a financial position to support the non-statutory provision of school crossing patrols across the Island, meaning some lollipop men and women are to disappear from our streets.
Following a decision by Full Council in February 2016, the process began to seek alternative funding in order to retain as many school crossing patrols as possible across the Island. Roughly half of the schools that were approached to help to save their local service have agreed to take over the funding, but not all.
It has been confirmed that Ryde Academy; Sandown Academy; Christ the King College; Wroxall Primary; Oakfield Primary; Dover Park Primary; Gurnard Primary and Carisbrooke Primary will no longer have a lollipop crossing in operation, although Oakfield Primary School intend to organise a ‘walking bus’ initiative that will start in September, as part of their travel to school strategy.
Alternative sources of funding have been found for 9 patrols, meaning Hunnyhill Primary; Greenmount Primary; Bembridge Primary; Broadlea Primary; Haylands Primary; Queensgate Primary; St Francis Primary; Nine Acres Primary and Nettlestone Primary will all see lollipop crossings return at the start of the new school year.
Discussions are continuing with a number of schools and stakeholders about alternative funding to maintain provision of services, but as it stands 13 council staff have been put ‘at risk of redundancy’ unless last minute alternative funding solutions can be found to retain services near the remaining schools.
Councillor Phil Jordan, Executive Member for public health, public protection and PFI, said:
“I am very grateful to those schools and organisations who have offered to pick up this cost to ensure that this service can continue.”
Article continues below this advertisement “I am heavy hearted that some of our locally cherished, but non-statutory, crossing patrol services will be lost. But I would like to thank the individual schools that have agreed to take on the continued funding of their local ‘lollipop’ men and women.
“Having exhausted conversations with the remaining schools in order to secure funding to retain their service, the council is now in talks with other local stakeholders to see if they would be willing to step in a save those services facing the axe.
“Unfortunately, as the council continues to face such swingeing cuts by local government, such valued services as this must be, regrettably, stopped.”
The Isle of Wight Council has no statutory obligation to provide school crossing patrols. The responsibility to safely get children to and from school rests with parents, not the local authority.
