Argyll and Bute lollipop staff leave in two weeks – but when will they be replaced?

Adverts have still not been placed to replace the 12 staff school crossing staff who are due to leave Argyll and Bute Council a fortnight today (Friday).

The ‘lollipop’ staff handed in their notice after being told they would no longer be able to help children cross the road at lunchtimes.

The council says they will be replaced, but yesterday a spokesperson confirmed no job adverts had yet been placed, although this would happen ‘in early course’.

He added that it was too early to say when any new staff would be in place, and the need to complete disclosure checks meant it was hard to give a date when the service would be restored.

Eight locations in Helensburgh are affected, as well as the B833 in Rosneath.

Asked what parents should do while they are waiting for the new crossing patrol staff, he referred to a briefing note which states that the council does not have a legal duty to provide crossing patrols and it is the responsibility of parents or guardians to ensure children get to school safely.

The document refers to various road safety initiatives in schools, adding: “The road safety team will be in touch with the schools affected by the school crossing patroller vacancies to offer refresher training to pupils.”

Getting rid of school crossing patrols altogether was put forward as an option earlier this year, as the council launched a consultation on how to save £10m after cutbacks in government funding.

The idea was overwhelmingly rejected by the thousands of people who responded to the consultation, but the council decided instead on a compromise approach, which assumed that it was safe for children to cross the A814 unaided where there was a pelican crossing.

Arguing that fewer children cross the road at lunchtime, the council also axed the midday service while retaining morning and afternoon patrols at 23 locations – at 12 of these the staff responded by resigning, while seven posts had already been allowed to become vacant.

For details of all the areas affected see this story published yesterday.