Councillors’ safety concerns over absence of lollipop staff

SCHOOL crossing patrol staff in Calderdale are unlikely to be present to help children as schools return this week.

And councillors heard that they do not know whether they still have a job amid confusion about who is paying for them.

At the first meeting of the full Calderdale Council since lockdown, held in virtual form, Clr Sue Holdsworth raised the issue about the familiar figures who staff school crossing patrols.

“I have had concerns from parents at Greetland Academy about the status of the lollipop people,” she said. “They want to know is it true that the council is removing all funding from lollipop people?

“We have also had social media reports from lollipop personnel who say they don’t know if they have a job to come back to.”

Clr Holdsworth (Lib Dem,

Greetland and Stainland) said the council were very keen to have children walking to school and she was concerned crossing patrols might not be there to see them safely across potentially dangerous roads.

Similar reports have been received from other areas, councillors heard. Cabinet members were not totally certain under whose directorate the issue fell, but portfolio holder for Children and Young People’s Services, Clr Adam Wilkinson said his understanding was the positions were traditionally funded by schools and he understood legislation had been passed that meant they could no longer do this.

“In short, there are difficulties facing the service,” he said. The council itself did not have a lot of extra money in its budget and operational issues had also been raised by the Covid-19 pandemic with schools having staggered starts and finishes, which would mean crossing