Council doesn’t debate School Crossing Patrols

Last night was Full Council, where all 66 councillors across Wirral meet and debate issues.  I presented a petition of nearly 3,000 signatures of residents in Wallasey who want to overturn the decision to axe 18 lollipop (which includes six in Wallasey) to save £50,000.

At the beginning of the meeting members of the public are allowed to ask questions.  There was a question from a Governor of Liscard Primary who asked; ‘What is the cost of a child’s life’?  The Cabinet member responsible for Streetscene, Cllr Jean Quinn replied that a ‘child’s life is priceless’ – I wouldn’t argue with her there.  However, she then went on to justify cutting 18 lollipop ladies and the savings involved.

Last night was also the only opportunity we have to question the Labour Group, led by Steve Foulkes, about the plans to close our swimming pools, libraries and community centres.

Labour and Liberal Democrats also tried to stifle the debate and insisted on ending the meeting at 9pm.  We opposed this.  However, using their usual tactics they combined their strength to out-vote our attempts to save our services.  So although the debate on School Crossing Patrols was only item 3 on the agenda there wasn’t time to debate this issue.

Conservatives voted to maintain the current number of school crossing patrols for the safety of our primary school children.  Labour and Liberal Democrats voted against.

Council to debate School Crossing Patrols

With the shock of the latest round of cuts the Council have proposed, I’ve been busy replying to emails, letters and telephone calls from residents.  But I haven’t forgotten about the 18 lollipop ladies who the Council want to axe to ‘save’ £50,000.

So today at 11.30am, I submitted a Notice of Motion (which is ‘council speak’ for requesting a debate and vote of all councillors at the next full Council meeting).  I want to overturn the council decision to axe these school crossing patrols and had to obtain the signatures of 17 other councillors to submit my request.

All thirteen councillors in Wallasey signed up plus four from Wirral South and Wirral West.

Email update

Earlier today, I sent an email updating many people on the campaign so far.  If you want the Council and Cllr. Jean Quinn to think again – you can email her at jeanquinn@wirral.gov.uk and also download a petition form from this site and ask friends and neighbours to sign it.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly…and Harry

Tonight, we can publish the details of those councillors who voted to scrap the school crossings.  Although Cllr. Jean Quinn is the Cabinet Member responible, the Streetscene Committee was also asked for views on the cuts.  The minutes of the meeting on 28 October are here. 

Ron Abbey (Labour)

David Mitchell (Liberal)

Peter Reisdorf (Liberal)

Harry Smith (Labour)

The three Conservative Councillors (Leah Fraser, Liscard; Paul Hayes, Wallasey and Andrew Hodson, Heswall) all voted AGAINST the cuts but they were defeated by these four councillors pictured above (Ron Abbey, Leaaowe; David Mitchell, Eastham; Peter Reisdorf, Greasby and Harry Smith, Bidston).

For 29 years…

…Caroline Brookes has been the lollipop lady at St Saviour’s School in Oxton and will be one of the eighteen school crossing patrols to be axed by the Council. 

This was the site which sparked the remarks by Cllr Pat Williams at the last Council meeting.  Cllr. Williams, a former mayor and Liberal Democrat Councillor for Oxton, spoke out against the cuts, much to the iritation of her colleagues but I think when she sat down she had won the respect of the Conservative Group.

Read more here.

Back to Liscard Primary

I was back at Liscard Primary this afternoon.  Steph, a third your student studying journalism at Liverpool University, wanted to interview me for her coursework!

She’d read about the 18 lollipop ladies who the council want to axe to save £50,000 and want to follow the story through.  The lollipop lady, Sue Houghton, was more than happy to chat so too were the children.  The ‘walking bus’ was also happy to wave to the camera!

We’ll be contacting everyone who signed our petition soon for an update.

The next stage

It’s Day 15 since we launched our Campaign against Labour’s school crossing cuts outside Liscard Primary School. 

This afternoon we were back at the school for a meeting which I organised for headteachers and lollipop ladies and men who are affected by these cuts and to discuss the next stage of our campaign.

We’ve been to all six schools which will be affected in Wallasey and Moreton and have collected nearly 1,200 signatures and we’ve still to collect individual petitions from parents and some local shops.

Children from the school have written asking for their lollipop lady to remain, here are some of their comments:

‘Will you get rid of dinner ladies as well’

‘We need her so that they can stay alive and not be hit’

‘Some people are very silly and just run over little children’

‘She slows the cars down so no one gets hit’

‘She stops people from parking on zig zags’

This final comment sums it up….

‘Why should she leave her job because of the disgraceful council.  Would you like to lose your job and risk children’s lives?  That is what you are doing’.

Cllr Quinn declines

I’ve received an email from Cllr Jean Quinn, Cabinet Member for Streetscene responsible for axing school crossings.

She wont be attending our meeting tomorrow.

Full list of Wirral Schools affected by the cuts

Losing 18 lollipop men and women will affect the following schools:

1. Liscard Primary
2. Leasowe Primary
3. Our Lady of Lourdes Primary
4. Sandbrook Primary
5. Somerville Primary
6. St Josephs Primary
7. Kingsway Primary
8. Orrets Meadow
9. Well Lane Primary
10. St Peters CE Primary (Rocky Lane)
11. St Peters CE Primary (Thurstaston Road)
12. Millfields Primary
13. Heygarth Primary
14. Bidston Village CE Primary
15. Portland Primary
16. Cole Street Primary
17. St Werberghs Primary
18. Oxton St Saviours Primary
19. St Michael & All Angels Primary
20. Arrowe Hill Primary
21. Ladymount Primary
22. Pensby Infant
23. Pensby Junior
24. Bidston Avenue Infants and Junior

Day 8

Today I’m organising a meeting between headteachers and lollipop ladies and men who are affected by the cuts and will lose their jobs to discuss the campaign so far and the next stage.

Liscard Primary have kindly offered to host the meeting.  I will also be inviting Cllr Paul Hayes, Conservative Spokesman on Streetscene and of course Cllr Jean Quinn, Cabinet Member for the Labour-led Council who made these cuts.