End ofthe road

Councillors voted to phase out dedicated school crossing patrollers on Tuesday night, just hours after a new agreement was reached to avert wider strike action.

As part of the agreement, which was rubber-stamped at Tuesday’s full council meeting, a decision was made to utilise staff from the facilities management team for school crossing patrols when required.

The changes are part of a restructuring which does not involve any compulsory redundancies, and will be phased in gradually using ‘natural wastage’.

Opposition councillors have hit out over a lack of consultation with parents and fear multi-tasking might not be realistic.

East Dunbartonshire Council says that full training will be given.