Parents at an Ellon primary school have hit out at Aberdeenshire Council’s decision to scrap all crossing patrollers across the region.
The decision to axe all school crossing patrollers – or lollipop men and women – was voted through at yesterday’s Aberdeenshire Council budget meeting, where the authority had to make £35.45 million worth of cuts.
The move, which will see the equivalent of 14.5 full-time jobs go, is set to save the council £436,000 over the next financial year.
Outside of Ellon Primary School, which is located next to the busy Station Road, there was busy traffic this morning, as parents dropped their kids off for the school day.
Ellon school roll near 300 pupils
The school provides education for around 290 children, with another 50 or so in the nursery.
At yesterday’s budget meeting, some councillors expressed their concerns about how the scrapping of school crossing patrollers would affect the safety of children across the region.
And it was almost a unanimous disapproval from parents at the school today.
Susan Buchanan, whose daughter goes to the nursery and will start primary one in August, said the decision is “a bit sad”.
She added: “It would have been nice for her to meet them (lollipop man or woman).”
Dad of two John Penny, who has two sons at the school, was shocked when he was told about the council’s decision.
Mr Penny said: “It’ll be bad for children’s safety. We’ve got a crossing there (Station Road), but it would put me off letting my sons walk themselves to the school in the future.”
Hannah Futter, whose daughter Cameron goes to the school’s nursery, said: “We need them for protecting the kids, because kids are just going to run across the road and cars aren’t going to stop.”
“I hope they reverse their decision, because it’s their (school crossing patrollers) livelihood as well.”
Mum of three Cara Navarro, who daughter will be starting school after the summer holidays, with her other two in years to come, said she is “not happy” at Aberdeenshire Council’s decision.
“It’s not great and I’m absolutely worried about it”.
Ellon mum ‘disappointed’
One mum, whose child is not old enough to walk to school themselves yet, said she was “disappointed” by the news.
Another mum reiterated that school crossing patrollers are “definitely” needed, adding: “If you tried crossing there a minute ago, people drive straight through.
“I’ll definitely be sad to see them go.”
One woman told The P&J: “I just think in the morning and at 3pm it would be nice, but what can you do?”
However, she thinks the axing may not cause many problems.
“I think most kids come with their mums, so it might not be that detrimental,” she added.
‘Worried parents fearful for their children’s safety’
At yesterday’s budget meeting, Ellon and District councillor Louise McAllister said that her “inbox had been overflowing with messages from worried parents fearful for their children’s safety”.
She added: “We are supposed to be encouraging safe routes to school.
“The opportunity for children to make their own way to school is a stepping stone to independence.”
However, Aberdeenshire Council’s education and children’s services committee chairman Councillor David Keating argued that road safety inspectors had confirmed that the routes around schools are safe.
The posts will remain in place until the end of the school year in July.
Read more on the Aberdeenshire Council budget cuts:
Parking charges soar but gritting spared as we reveal full scale of budget cuts across Aberdeenshire
New Fraserburgh and Stonehaven schools shelved by council months after being snubbed by government
11th hour U-turn on council tax cash leaves Aberdeenshire leaders shocked by surprise £3m
‘It’ll wreck lives’: Parents slam Aberdeenshire Council speech and language therapy cuts
