OAP offers to pay 10% of Angus lollipop lady’s wages in village campaign to save her from council cuts

A community council chairman says he will happily make a monthly contribution to the wage of an Angus village lollipop lady to help keep her in post.

Gus Leighton is backing Edzell Primary School parents angry over an Angus Council decision to remove crossing patroller Lisa Ross.

Lisa has been in the role for more than three years.

But council chiefs say their traffic surveys now show a patroller isn’t needed at the 120-pupil school.

Local petition

Edzell Parent Council have challenged the findings and launched a petition demanding Lisa is kept in place.

And Inveresk Community Council chairman Gus says he’ll happily pay £30 a month towards the lollipop lady’s £3,600-a-year wages.

“What price do you put on a child’s life?” said Gus.

“When the school was being extended to take in a larger catchment a temporary crossing attendant post was established.

“Now that it has been in place for a number of years and the children have become accustomed to crossing under her supervision, the council want to remove her at Easter.

“The number of lorries driving through Edzell to avoid the A90 Northwaterbridge junction has increased dramatically,” he added.

“I am a pensioner, but I am prepared to personally contribute £30 per month to Angus Council should their decision be reversed.

“That’d be about 10% of the cost and would represent excellent value-for-money if it saved a single child’s life.

“If it is only a case of saving money from the Council budget, I suggest council officers on salaries of £80k or more should volunteer to take a 10% pay cut to help the council balance its budget.

“And Angus councillors should offer to give up 10% of any income arising from their Council duties.”

Speeding traffic

The parent council say the speed of traffic approaching from the north and through the village in general is a concern.

Chairwoman Claire Thomson said there is no parking outside the school.

So anyone dropping children off must park in The Muir opposite and cross the busy B966.

The primary is the first building at the entrance to the village and campaigners say many vehicles don’t slow down to the 20mph limit.

“It’s crazy the amount of vehicles which just don’t follow the speed limits,” said Claire.

And the group say the traffic surveys only counted unaccompanied children.

“Parents might want to take their children up to the nursery or primary school but they all still have to cross the road,” added Claire.

“Having the patroller there makes the traffic slow down.”

“Lisa looks after the kids really well,” said parent council vice-chairwoman Ashleigh Leslie.

“With no crossing patrol, it opens up the risk of children crossing at various unsafe points in the road with cars approaching fast from the north entrance to the village, a double junction with access to the Muir and school car parks and a four-way roundabout.”

Lisa said: “I love my job and the kids are great.

“But there is a lot of traffic which just doesn’t slow down and they have to slam on the brakes when they see me.”

Council justification

An Angus Council spokesperson said: “The decision to withdraw the school crossing patroller from Edzell Primary follows two traffic surveys, both of which confirm it doesn’t meet the minimum criteria for retaining a patroller at the primary school.

“The safety and wellbeing of children and young people in our schools is paramount and work will continue in our schools to make children road safety aware in line with our approach to Safer Routes to School.”

They council didn’t comment on Mr Leighton’s offer to contribute to the cost of the crossing patroller.