Lollipop ladies could be cut from nearly a quarter of schools in East Sussex under new council proposals.

Crossing patrols could be removed from outside 13 schools in the region including in Peacehaven, Hampden Park and Bexhill in a move affecting thousands of students.

The changes could save the council £50,000 next year rising to £100,000 in following years and could take effect from as early as the summer term.

But parents and teachers are set to challenge the East Sussex County Council proposals, which will be discussed by its cabinet on Tuesday.

Strong opposition has already been met with strong opposition from some school headteachers, who have written, to the council while local councillors have threatened raising petitions to stop the changes.

The council report also considered the removal of all crossing patrols saving the authority £140,000.

If schools lose funding it is proposed they look into recruiting volunteers or sponsorship to continue the patrols.

There are currently 61 schools with crossing patrols in the East Sussex, of which 36 currently don't meet the authority's criteria for funding.

They are the 13 currently under review, eight which use volunteers and 15 crossings which are sponsored.

If the council's cabinet agrees to the move, public consultations will be held before a final decision is taken.

Phil Clarke, NUT rep for East Sussex, said: “If the justification for this is money, then this is ludicrous.

“It's time local authorities said to the Government this is not on, there needs to be proper funding to educate children and so they can get to school safely.”

Telscombe Cliffs town councillor Gwen Maskell said she would be “very concerned” of proposals to remove the lollipop lady from outside Teslcombe Cliffs Community Primary School.

She added: “A child was knocked down very close to the school at the end of last month.
“I think parents would be very concerned about these crossings going, it would be a great loss to the school.”

A staff member from Punnetts Town Community Primary School near Heathfield who did not wish to be named said: “We are all very concerned because it is such a busy road.

“It was a large campaign to get a lollipop lady set up in the first place many years ago and it's the best thing we have ever done.

“It's such a dangerous road that we are trying to get the speed limit reduced from
40mph and 30mph.”

An East Sussex County Council spokeswoman said: “We don't want to take away school crossing patrols from schools where staff and parents want them and we are more than happy to train people and support and manage patrols carried out by volunteers or sponsored by local companies and organisations.

“But it is not feasible for the council to continue to fund the patrols that do not meet the criteria.”