The council share this latest update in relation to school crossing patrols. Ed
From September the Isle of Wight Council will no longer be in a financial position to support the non-statutory provision of school crossing patrols across the Island.
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.”
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.
Half agreed to take on costs
Roughly half of the schools that were approached to help to save their local service have agreed to take over the funding. In Nettlestone, the local Londis has stepped in. And, Oakfield Primary intend to organise a ‘walking bus’ initiative that will start in September, as part of their travel to school strategy.
The services remaining under council management, but alternative sources of funding, are:
Hunnyhill Primary (management of the service to transfer to school)
Green Mount
Bembridge Primary
Broadlea Primary
Haylands Primary
Queensgate Primary
St Francis Primary
Nine Acres Primary
Nettlestone Primary.
Cllr Bacon: “Heavy hearted”
Councillor Jordan continued:
“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.”
13 staff ‘at risk of redundancy’
The council undertook a review of each school crossing patrol route, as part of its assessment of the service. Discussions are continuing with a number of schools and stakeholders about alternative funding to maintain provision of services.
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.
The 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.
The services not being retained and reasons for this are detailed below:
Ryde Academy (secondary)- None given
Sandown Academy (secondary) – None given
Christ the King (secondary) – No funding available
Wroxall Primary – No longer meet the criteria for crossing patrol*
Oakfield Primary – Convening a walking bus/ No longer meet the criteria for crossing patrol*
Dover Park Primary – No funding available
Gurnard Primary – No longer meet the criteria for crossing patrol*
Carisbrooke Primary – No funding available
*Road Safety GB criteria for the establishment of a road crossing patrol.
