Nine Hartlepool school lollipop patrols just weeks from axe are set to be saved

Nine school lollipop patrols are set to be saved just weeks before they were due to be axed.
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The patrols were due to be removed from outside primary schools across town from April as part of £2.6m of Hartlepool Borough Council savings.

West View Primary School, in Hartlepool, was one of the nine schools set to lose its crossing patrol.West View Primary School, in Hartlepool, was one of the nine schools set to lose its crossing patrol.
West View Primary School, in Hartlepool, was one of the nine schools set to lose its crossing patrol.
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Now the council is proposing to reverse the patrol cuts, which would have saved an estimated £32,000, after announcing that its Government budget for the 2022-23 financial year “was a little better than expected”.

A final decision is expected to be made by the authority’s finance and policy committee later this month.

Councillor Shane Moore, the council’s independent leader and chair of the finance and policy committee, said: “The improved funding we will receive next year is welcome and I will therefore be recommending to colleagues on the finance and policy committee that we use this money to remove the proposed school crossing patrol saving and to also provide £70,000 for local welfare support to help the most financially vulnerable people in our borough.

“After discussing the impact of the Government’s 2022-23 funding announcements with our chief financial officer on the 22nd of December, I insisted this particular decision be revisited.

Hartlepool Borough Council leader Councillor Shane Moore is proposing that the approved cuts to school crossing patrols be reversed later this month. Picture by FRANK REIDHartlepool Borough Council leader Councillor Shane Moore is proposing that the approved cuts to school crossing patrols be reversed later this month. Picture by FRANK REID
Hartlepool Borough Council leader Councillor Shane Moore is proposing that the approved cuts to school crossing patrols be reversed later this month. Picture by FRANK REID
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“I would have liked to have made this announcement at the start of January.

"However I delayed saying anything until the reports for the next finance and policy committee meeting were ready to be published as this is a formal budget proposal for the committee to consider.

“I’m confident these proposals will be approved – although it is always important we follow the right procedures for making decisions and don’t make knee jerk decisions without all of the information.

“I’m delighted the funding we will receive next year is better than expected and means I can make these proposals to committee.

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"However I do need to be clear that we still face significant financial challenges and we have still had to make many difficult decisions to balance next year’s budget.”

The meeting of the finance and policy committee will be held at 10am on Monday, February 14, at Hartlepool Civic Centre.

Members of the public wishing to attend a meeting should phone (01429) 523568 or (01429) 523019 by midday one working day before the meeting.

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