Moray Council’s new SNP administration has claimed a decisive victory in reversing a controversial decision to axe school crossing patrollers taken by the authority’s previous leadership.
Yesterday was due to be the last day of supervised crossings at dozens of locations across the region.
Now a U-turn has been made on 13 of the locations, which were previously branded “non-viable” just four months ago.
Last night, the decision was described as the “moral” route to take despite the council facing up to the prospect of making a further £12 million worth of cuts.
However, warnings were issued to the leadership about the need to ensure cash is saved by authority.
Speyside Glenlivet councillor Louise Laing said: “The biggest issue, with the most complaints, that I deal with is the speed and volume of traffic coming through the villages in my ward.
“It may not be the council’s statutory obligation to get children to school but morally it’s an issue that’s important to both the SNP and the people we represent.
“There are many difficult decisions to make in the coming years – but child safety has to be amongst our top priorities.”
Moray Council’s original decision was to remove staff from all duties at locations where there are also traffic lights – meaning 18 of 36 locations would be unsupervised.
The new move means 13 sites will have patrollers reinstated for opening and closing times only – reducing the expected annual savings by £33,000 to £86,000. No patrols will be undertaken at lunchtimes due to low usage.
Negotiations will take place with staff during the summer holidays to ensure the locations are manned for the first day of the new session.
Members of the authority’s previous Conservative and independent administration stressed it was the parent’s responsibility to get their children safely to school.
The SNP’s Buckie councillor, Sonya Warren, said: “I always felt this was a cut too far. The patroller site at Cluny Primary School is set to get busier with the opening of the new early years facility at Lady Cathcart.
“We’ve already made significant progress with a challenging budget but the safety of children walking to school is an area that should be protected.”
Conservative group leader Tim Eagle had proposed a reassessment of the decision to axe the patrols at Cluny Primary School before backing the SNP’s proposal.
He said: “Traffic lights have had an effect at Cluny so I think there had been a material change there that was worth further consideration.
“The chief executive has warned us about unnecessary spending. If the SNP feel that we have the money and this can be covered then I’m happy to accept that – but the financial position of the council is now on their head.”
