A shortage of lollipop ladies and men means there are more than 25 school crossing patrol vacancies across Staffordshire – with North Staffordshire being the most affected area.

There are currently 29 empty posts out of 240 – a vacancy rate of 12% – and some of the vacancies are "long standing and hard to recruit to", a Staffordshire County Council report revealed.

Councillor Charlotte Atkins asked for the update as part of Thursday's full council meeting question session, as well as details of how many people had left the service or been recruited since September 2019.

A written response to her questions stated that 34 have left or retired and 40 have been recruited during the past year.

The last full service review was carried out towards the end of 2018 and no new schools were added or removed from the service.

Councillor Atkins said: "I'm surprised the last review of school crossing patrols was nearly two years ago as we've been told these are regularly reviewed.

"How can schools which desperately need a school crossing patrol, such as Woodcroft Academy in my division in Leek, make their representations heard and understood if these reviews are so irregular?

"I hope that we don't have to wait for a child to be hurt before a review of those schools which need crossing patrols is carried out."

Councillor David Williams, cabinet member for highways and transport, responded: "I'm not aware of any schools that wrote to the county council asking for any extra school crossings.

"The regularity of the reviews are at the moment every two years – they have been slightly delayed due to Covid-19.

"We're also in some respects struggling at the moment with recruitment. It is often difficult to recruit to vacancies that we have.

"However I will say the members of the school crossing patrols we have got have been giving their time over the Covid period to ensure that all crossing patrols are up to date with what is going on and that everybody is OK. Every single one of them is dedicated and enjoy working with the children.

"But if Mrs Atkins has any schools that wish to be assessed as to a need for a school crossing patrol – and if that school is prepared to contribute towards providing that school crossing patrol – I'm more than happy to listen to her."

School crossing patrol vacancies in Staffordshire as of October 5th:

Newcastle Borough

• Alexandra Road, Wolstanton

• Chapel Lane, Harriseahead

• Clayton Lane, Clayton High School, Newcastle

• Dimsdale Parade/Hassam Parade/Clare Ave Newcastle Rd/Crewe Rd – by Madeley Heath War Memorial

• Galleys Bank, Kidsgrove

• Gloucester Avenue, Kidsgrove

• Knutton Lane/Ashfields New Road, Newcastle

• May Bank High Street junction with Upper Marsh

• Old Road/New Road, Audley

• Pepper Street, Silverdale

• Priory Road / Abbot's Way Newcastle

• The Avenue Kidsgrove

• Wolstanton High Street by the Post Office

Staffordshire Moorlands

• Cheadle

• Leek Road, Endon

Stafford Borough

• Great Haywood

• Station Road, Barlaston

South Staffordshire

• Chillington Drive, Codsall

• School Road, Wombourne

• The Parkway/Gainsborough Dr, Perton

• Wolgarston Way/Cannock Road, Penkridge

Cannock Chase

• Hazelslade Primary

East Staffordshire

• Branston Road/All Saints Road, Burton-upon-Trent

• Church Hill Street/Eldon Street, Winshill

• Clarence Street/Queen Street, Burton-upon-Trent

• Main Street, Yoxall

• Station Road, Barton Under Needwood

• Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent