Great Britain has lost more than 2,000 lollipop men and women during ten years of Tory austerity, shock GMB analysis reveals.
The union conducted a Freedom of Information Act request to local authorities across Great Britain asking the number of school crossing patrol officers they employed in the last financial year compared to 2009/10.
In 2009/10 there were 7,128 employed by councils across England, Scotland and Wales and by 2017/18 that had dipped to just 5,047 – a drop of 2,081.
The West Midlands and the North West were the worst hit regions, with drops of 386 and 378 respectively.
Meanwhile Wales had 250 less school crossing patrol officers, with Scotland losing 163.
Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary, said: “Ten years of brutal Tory austerity have left scars right across our society – and now it’s got to the point where our kids aren’t even safe walking home from school.
“No parent wants to get the call that their child has been involved in an accident, but that’s the risk council’s are taking because they are so cash-strapped.
“Austerity is a choice but councils have been left with no choice but to make savings.
“Our public services need proper funding, so they can rebuild from the ruins left by a decade of savage cuts.”
Related: ‘He’s lying to you’ sign to go on display in Brussels museum
Since you are here
Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.
Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.
Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.
If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.
To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.
The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.
The shop can be found here.
You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .
