More than 50 Liverpool schools which have agreed to fund school crossing patrols – lollipop men and women – have been praised.
The City Council has looked at different ways of providing the service because of the severe funding cuts it faces
It entered into talks with schools which have patrols outside their premises and in the first tranche of discussions 56 have agreed to providing funding. Further talks are to take place with another 40 schools.
The funding provided by the schools means that all patrols which are currently provided in the city can be maintained.
Although 12 schools asked if their patrol could be replaced by a signal controlled pedestrian crossing the cost of £2.5m is not affordable.
Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration and transport, said: “As the council is dealing with a 58% cut in our budget we had to look at all services which we do not have a legal obligation to provide.
“Although they are not a statutory service school crossing patrols are important both in providing safety and encouraging children to walk to school and we know how much both parents and teachers value them.
“So, we looked at ways in which we could maintain them and asked school if they could fund the patrols. With the support of so many in this tranche, we will be able to keep the same number we currently have in the city.
“And we will be going onto further discussions with another 40 schools in the second part of the review.
“I would like to thank the schools which have found the funds for this service for their understanding and support. They have acted very positively and deserve the highest praise.”
The schools which will fund the patrols are:
All Saints Catholic Primary Our Lady & St Swithens Catholic
Anfield Infant & Junior Our Lady Bishop Eton Catholic
Arnot Community Primary Our Lady Immaculate Catholic
Banks Road JMI Pinehurst Primary
Beacon CofE Primary Pleasant Street Primary
Blessed Sacrament Infant & Junior Rice Lane Infants & Nursery
Broad Square Primary Rice Lane Junior
Broadgreen Primary Roscoe Infant & Junior
Christ the King Catholic Primary SFX
Croxteth Community Primary Springwood Heath Primary
Dovedale Infants & Primary St Austins Catholic Primary
Faith Primary St Cecilias Catholic Infant
Florence Melly Junior St Clare’s Catholic Primary
Francis de Sales Infants St Finbars Catholic Primary
Gilmour Infants St Francis de Sales Infants & Nursery
Gilmour Junior St John Bosco Arts College
Greenbank Primary St Margaret Mary Junior
Holy Family Catholic Primary St Mary’s CofE Primary
Holy Trinity Catholic Primary St Mathews Catholic Primary
Kirkdale St Lawrences CofE Primary St Michaels Catholic Primary
Knotty Ash Primary St Michaels in the Hamlet Primary
Lawrence Road Community Primary St Oswalds Catholic Junior
Leamington Primary St Paschal Baylon Catholic Primary
Lister Drive Infants St Sebastians
Liverpool College St Silas CofE Primary
Norman Panel Primary Sudley Junior
Northcote Primary Whitefield Infants & Junior
Northway Primary Woolton Infants & Junior
