Lollipop staff becoming an endangered species under SNP

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today warned that lollipop staff are becoming an endangered species, after new figures revealed that their numbers have fallen dramatically under successive SNP governments. 

Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information requests have revealed:

• Across nine local authorities able to provide figures for both 2007/08 when the SNP came to power and last year (2022/23), the number of lollipop staff has fallen 43% (from 527 to 300).
• Across 19 local authorities able to provide figures for both 2015/16, shortly after Nicola Sturgeon government took office, and last year, the number of lollipop staff has fallen from 885 to 676 - a 24% decrease.

Mr Rennie said:  

“These figures show that under successive SNP governments, lollipop staff are becoming an endangered species.

“Crossing staff can help give parents and pupils the confidence that walking to school is the way to go, creating a safe environment and encouraging healthy habits.

“In little ways and large, school services are being rundown thanks to the SNP’s years of cuts to local government budgets.  

“Scottish Liberal Democrats would deliver a power surge to local government so that they invest in local services, not just pass on SNP cuts.”