FUNDING for East Lancashire’s 148 lollipop men and women has been axed.

The move, pushed forward by tough county council cash cuts, has sparked fears among governors and teachers about children’s safety.

A year ago the authority’s Labour bosses proposed to halve their £4,000 contribution to each of the county’s 350 primary school crossing patrols, but dropped the plans after sparking protests.

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But now, in the latest round of budget cuts, they have decided to scrap the contribution altogether, asking headteachers to pay for lollipop people helping children cross the road safely from as early as September 2015.

Blackburn with Darwen borough, which in 2013 dropped a plan to halve its 34 school crossing patrols, has no plans to reduce its current service.

Worried head teachers, governors and lollipop people now fear children could be injured or even killed.

Lisa Davison, head of Burnley’s 411-pupil Stoneyholme Primary, said: “Child safety is vital to our school.

“If we have to pay for school crossing patrols, something else will have to go.

“Not having one would be dangerous so we will face difficult decisions.

“Some small schools will not be able to afford it.”

Barrow primary governor and Ribble Valley councillor Terry Hill said small schools now face a tough choice between the patrols and teaching.

There are 340 patrols with 30 in Burnley, 22 in Pendle, 28 in Rossendale, 17 in Hyndburn, 16 in Ribble Valley and 35 in Chorley.

Other authorities which have tried to axe the popular service – including Staffordshire, Trafford in Greater Manchester, and Camarthenshire – have been forced to rethink.

Lancashire County Council Tory leader Geoff Driver has vowed to fight the proposal with the backing of HyndburnMP Graham Jones and his Burnley counterpart Gordon Birtwistle.

The plan, approved by the county’s ruling Labour Cabinet, is due to be confirmed by a full council meeting on Thursday in a three-year programme to save £100million in 2015/2016.

School crossing patrols cost £1.5million annually.

From September, heads will have to find £4,000 to £4,500 a year for each patrol out of their own budget, which also pays for teachers, classroom assistants, books and equipment.

Cllr Hill said: “This should be the responsibility of the county council as the highways and education authority.

“It will mean Barrow School, and others on main roads, facing a hard choice between child safety and teaching. Some small schools just won’t have the money.”

Kathryn Pym, head of St. Leonard’s CE Primary School in Langho, said: “We have a really good relationship with our lollipop lady. She’s invaluable to us.

“Our school is on a very busy road and we value the wonderful job she does.”

County highways boss John Fillis said: “The county council continues to face unprecedented levels of cuts. Between 2010 and 2018 we will have made savings of £547 million, which mean difficult decisions.

“ We must look at every area of our spending very closely, particularly those services which we are not legally obliged to provide such as school crossing patrols.”

Worsthorne Primary school’s Lollipop man Peter Griffiths, 75, said: “It would be an impossible situation if there was no one on duty to help the children cross the road safely. It’s a necessity.

“The service is very important. It’s a no brainer really. ”

Cllr Driver said “There are other ways savings can be made without putting children’s lives at risk.

“The authority is forcing heads to choose between the safety of children or on their education. The Conservative group will oppose this outrageous proposal.”

Mr Jones said: “My five-year-old daughter Alana has to cross a busy road to go to school and I am not having her do that without a crossing patrol.”

Mr Birtwistle said: “This is wrong. Schools should not face the choice between teachers and a crossing patrol.”