School's out at crossings

STRATHBOGIE Shire Council is sending a strong message to the Victorian Government Department of Transport and Planning to step up and continue to deliver the School Crossing Supervision Program to ensure the safety of local kids. At its March meeting last week council resolved to exit the school crossing program from July 10, which is costing ratepayers about $50,000 each year to deliver, despite it being a Victorian Government responsibility. "The safety of our children walking to and from school is more than just a priority for Strathbogie Shire Council – it's non–negotiable," Mayor Laura Binks said. "This is why we have been paying for and delivering the School Crossing Supervision Program on behalf of the Department of Transport and Planning. "It's a program that has been keeping our children safe for many years and we're proud of our school crossing supervisors who are greatly valued by schools, parents and children." However, Cr Binks said there was part of the program that was not fair. "Council pays about 62 per cent of the program costs to deliver this Victorian Government service," she said. "In Strathbogie Shire this means council and our ratepayers are spending about $50,000 a year to deliver a service that is not ours – it's the responsibility of the Victorian Government. "This situation is being faced by all councils, and together with 28 other local government areas across the state, we have been advocating to seek the restoration of funding for this critical service." The advocacy campaign, led by the City of Monash, has attracted strong attention, but despite every effort there has been no commitment from the Victorian Government to a fully funded and fully indexed program and efforts to meet with the responsible minister have been unsuccessful. Presenting a report to council, manager community safety, Kristin Favaloro, said as part of the City of Monash advocacy campaign, meeting requests have been made to meet with the relevant Victorian Minister – this has also been unsuccessful. Ms Favaloro told councillors there has been widespread newspaper articles outlining the inequity in the program and the need for a fully funded service. Last October council made the decision to exit the program from July 10. Ms Favaloro said that at times council office staff have been taken away from normal duties to fulfil the role of crossing supervisors. "We're now at a loss," Cr Binks said. "We're at the point where we think exiting the service is the only way we will get the attention of the department. "We are serious about finding financial savings for our ratepayers, while also ensuring this essential service continues to be delivered by the responsible State Government department to keep our children safe." Cr Andrews stated at the meeting that the main priority was the safety of the children and he believes this will not change within the next four months. Cr Raeburn also said he can understand how the communities (within the shire) are disheartened. "This is typical of how the government shifts the costs to the community," he said. Council manages five school crossing sites across the municipality, four of these on Victorian Government managed roads. The only school crossing located on a council managed road is on Goulburn Street in Nagambie. In 2016 The Victorian Government committed to undertaking a broad strategic review of the program. This has not occurred. There has been no innovation or review since the program's inception in 1975. Council will continue to manage its legislated responsibility to inspect, maintain and repair the school crossing infrastructure, which includes signage and road markings. In the meantime the Department of Transport will be handed back the program from this shire in July.