Future looks brighter for town's lollipop patrols
Wednesday, 20th April 2011.
One way or another it looks as though Haverhill will retain its school crossing patrols, officially axed by Suffolk County Council in February.
Members of Haverhill Town Council's community first committee meeting last night were keen to make sure the two crossing patrols survive in some form, and were also told there was a chance the county council might have a rethink on the issue.
Th town council has been negotiating with both Suffolk and Cambridgeshire County Councils, because it is prepared to fund the patrols but not to employ them.
The new leader of Suffolk County Council, Cllr Mark Bee, has said he may be open to reconsidering the issue but, if not, the town council hope their funding idea may be the answer.
If Suffolk does not rethink it will not continue to employ them, but Cambridgeshire is retaining its crossing patrols and has been approached by Northamptonshire, which is axing them in the same way as Suffolk.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett told members this could prove a way forward, and the patrols could transfer to Cambridgeshire under TUPE regulations, if their funding was guaranteed, for 2012-13. It was hoped Suffolk would continue to employ them until March 2012.
Members agreed that if Suffolk did not reprieve the patrols, the town council would proceed with that idea.
Cllr Maureen Byrne said: "In the light of the increase we have made in the precept this year, residents would expect us to be responsible and invest in this commitment. You can't put a price on children's lives."
Members of Haverhill Town Council's community first committee meeting last night were keen to make sure the two crossing patrols survive in some form, and were also told there was a chance the county council might have a rethink on the issue.
Th town council has been negotiating with both Suffolk and Cambridgeshire County Councils, because it is prepared to fund the patrols but not to employ them.
The new leader of Suffolk County Council, Cllr Mark Bee, has said he may be open to reconsidering the issue but, if not, the town council hope their funding idea may be the answer.
If Suffolk does not rethink it will not continue to employ them, but Cambridgeshire is retaining its crossing patrols and has been approached by Northamptonshire, which is axing them in the same way as Suffolk.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett told members this could prove a way forward, and the patrols could transfer to Cambridgeshire under TUPE regulations, if their funding was guaranteed, for 2012-13. It was hoped Suffolk would continue to employ them until March 2012.
Members agreed that if Suffolk did not reprieve the patrols, the town council would proceed with that idea.
Cllr Maureen Byrne said: "In the light of the increase we have made in the precept this year, residents would expect us to be responsible and invest in this commitment. You can't put a price on children's lives."
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