£100 a week travel paid to lollipop man in Stafford
A council pays £100 a week travel expenses for a temporary lollipop man – because no one nearby wants the job. Staffordshire County Council tried to find a permanent school crossing patrol worker in Brewood for 18 months.
Now an interim worker has been appointed, but they have to make a 48-mile round trip from home to help pupils, from St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School and Brewood CofE Middle School cross the road at the junction between Market Place and Bargate Street .
The council said the daily journey – going to and from home twice daily – would "possibly become unsustainable in the future".
Mike Maryon, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Road safety is a key priority for the county council and we have been actively trying to recruit a new crossing patrol warden for this area for 18 months.
"Unfortunately we have not had any joy so far, but have recently renewed our efforts to find a replacement and would love to hear from anyone who would be interested in this role.
Mileage
"In the meantime one of our mobile school crossing wardens has been making sure children can cross the road safely.
"The interim warden is paid mileage from their home, which is about 12 miles away."
Brewood parish councillor Malcolm Webb admitted that the situation was "not ideal".
He added: "We would like to get a local person in as soon as possible to fill the vacancy."
In February, Staffordshire Council announced that it would not be replacing wardens on nine patrols over this year in a bid to save £30,000.
A decision on whether to replace retiring lollipop men and women in Staffordshire would be made according to national criteria, council bosses said.
