Lollipop service could be cut by cash-strapped council

CROSSING patrols in Solihull could be the subject of major cuts, as the borough council looks to shave £100,000 a year from its budget.
As the local authority continues to search for savings in response to "significant reductions" in funding, it has ordered a wide-reaching review of its crossing patrol service - which could ultimately mean fewer wardens outside local schools.
Since 2010, patrols have been axed at 16 sites in the borough, but a new proposal could see 22 others scrapped before 2019/20 (around half of those in operation in Solihull).
Eight of the sites facing an uncertain future have a Zebra, Pelican or other form of crossing in-situ. A variety of options would be considered for the 14 others including installing some form of permanent crossing or looking at alternative sources of funding, which could include schools paying for the wardens themselves.
A report, due to be considered by councillors on Thursday evening, acknowledges that removing wardens altogether would be one of the options on the table. In these circumstances, the sites which lost the service would be those deemed to be "low priority".
Paul Tovey, the council's head of highways services, wrote: "Our streets are getting busier, car ownership is increasing, schools are increasing in size and set against a background of local and national economic growth, these pressures are set to increase in the future.
"There is lots of evidence demonstrating a clear demand for the Safe Routes to School services...however, the issue to consider now is do we have the right interventions in place."
The document suggests that crossing patrol budgets have been cut back by councils nationwide. A Freedom of Information request made by a national newspaper last month suggested that the number of wardens across the country had fallen by almost 1,000 in five years.
Neighbouring councils including Birmingham and Dudley are among those to have implemented cuts.