Parents are campaigning to keep the lollipop lady who helps children cross Vernon Road outside Towcester Primary School.

Conservative controlled Northamptonshire County Council has withdrawn funding for all school crossing patrol services in the county as part of plans to make £73 million of savings. I have been supporting parents, who have started a petition to try to save the school crossing patrol service. A public meeting is being planned.

The petition already has hundreds of signatures and the support of the headteacher. Vernon Road is a busy road that joins the A5. It’s a very dangerous location, with more development planned that will only increase traffic in future years. Northamptonshire County Council says it would be prepared to continue running the school crossing patrol service if the community was able to come up with funding for it.

The Tory county councillor for Towcester has helpfully suggested parents volunteer to run the patrol themselves! NCC appear to be leaving Towcester residents to run public services themselves. No street lights, a library without funding for books and now no crossing patrol for Primary School kids. Together with Cllr Chris Lofts and local Lib Dems are pledged to support parents in their fight to keep our local children safe.