LETTER: How much?

We have since then had a School Crossing Patrol, ensuring their safety, but that will be axed unless we can raise the funds to keep that post.

Newhaven Town Council have generously given £1,000 towards funding the £1,650 salary for that post. The school are looking for further funding to make up the difference.

However, ESCC advise that they need £3,750 to fully fund this post!

Their breakdown is as follows:

1. £1,650 salary per annum (National insurance and pension included).

2. Sick pay – should be covered in gross salary!

3. Administrative overheads – they cannot say what they are!

4. Full supervision and management support, including site risk assessment and health and safety. School crossing patrol sees someone once a term (if that). The school advise they have never seen anyone at the school, nor had access to risk assessment information.

5. Provision of a relief patrol (if available) – and school had to put up a fight for this when patrol was off sick recently, insisting this was in the contract!

6. Recruitment of staff and full training! This school crossing patrol was trained and been in post 10 years! Nothing since...

7. Uniform and equipment – fluorescent coat 10 years ago was replaced February 2016; waterproof fluorescent trousers October 2015 (woolly hat and gloves not provided by ESCC).

8. Third Party insurance liabilities – as an ESCC employee this is covered under the school Public Liability insurance!

9. Provision and maintenance of flashing lights! (They are in place already.)

10.Potential redundancy costs!

If full costs are not met, the school crossing patrol will not be provided.

Is this what is known as creative accountancy?

Multiply this by 120+ school crossing patrols (which we tax payers contribute to) and I think ESCC may very cleverly be covering some other official’s salary?

Cllr Diane Hall

(Newhaven Denton and Mt Pleasant)