Archive - Thursday, 17 July 2003


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Lollipop lady: 'Lives will be at risk'

CHILDREN'S lives could be put at risk if the wages of crossing patrol staff are cut.

That is the warning from Cirencester lollipop lady Kathy Nelson, who feels the county council doesn't value the work they do.

The authority is holding a series of meetings as part of a county-wide evaluation of its employees.

Certain council workers, such as home care assistants, are due to receive wage increases as part of the review.

But a number of posts, including crossing patrol staff, look set to have their pay cut in the shake-up.

And Mrs Nelson, who has been a lollipop lady outside Cirencester County Infants School in Victoria Road, for nearly 10 years, fears it will deter people from taking the job in future.

The mother-of-two said: "My first concern is for the children's safety. I don't think they (the council) realise what we do.

"Some of the cars come speeding up here - I've had some sail underneath my arm.

"We have to teach children how to cross the road safely. I really don't feel appreciated."

The council has changed its pay grading system as part of the exercise and school crossing patrols have been given an A grade - the lowest possible.

Instead of receiving the current £10,521 for a full-time post, lollipop men and women will eventually get just £10,278.

In another case, Elinor Davies, who works as a learning support worker at Cirencester's Paternoster School will see her earnings (for three days a week) drop from £9,343 to £7,804.

She said: "I'm very cross about it because I feel the evaluation has been done unfairly. My job hasn't changed."

The council says people are entitled to appeal against the recommendations as part of the evaluation process.

But it says changes are needed so the authority can fall in line with national equal pay legislation.

The council's head of human resources Sue Scrivens said: "The impact of implementing any job evaluation is generally a change to the rank order of jobs and this often leads to changes to existing pay.

"In fact it is our lowest paid employees who have benefited. This includes 400 home care assistants, who will receive increases of over £1,300 this year, rising to £3,000 over three years, and over 2,000 staff in schools, of which over 500 are our lower paid learning support workers."

Existing pay levels will be protected for the next three years, before any changes are made.