This is not the way to save money
Sep 17 2010 Daily Post
FUNNY isn’t it, how when money is tight, what used to be thought of essential can be rebranded an unnecessary luxury – even when it involves the safety of our children.
We learn today that most lollipop crossings in Gwynedd are set to be axed as “safety guidelines” indicate that they are not needed.
It appears that the criterion for judging whether or not they are necessary is the number of children using them. Based on its own survey, the council is now saying that crossing patrols be withdrawn where there are fewer than 15 pupils using them in a given half-hour slot.
But surely to focus on the number of pupils involved spectacularly misses the point. Surely the simple question to ask is how busy that road is and whether it poses a sufficient danger to justify a trained patrol.
Otherwise, you are effectively saying that the well-being of children is only important when there are plenty of them but the odd one or two don’t count. This is a completely wrong-headed approach.
What is also irritatingly disingenuous about this crossing patrol review is the attempt to hide the real reason for swinging the axe.
We all know what the driving force behind it is – saving money. So why doesn’t the council just come out and say so. At least we would admire their plain speaking.
Cuts must be made, as we have said in this column over the past two days. But as we have pointed out it is a question of what you cut and how quickly you do it.
The decision to axe school crossing patrols in this way and in particular to justify it with what appear to be spurious claims is unacceptable and objectionable.
It will also lead inevitably to more parents feeling the need to ferry their children to and from school, with all the implications that has for their personal fitness and development, road congestion, pollution and carbon footprint.
Councils like Gwynedd have a lot of difficult choices ahead of them to make the savings that will shortly be required – but this is simply a step too far.
Thursday 7 October 2010
Daily Post North Wales - Views and Blogs - Comment - This is not the way to save money
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