Additional funding allows proposal to save crossing patrols in Hartlepool

It comes after December’s meeting of Full Council agreed to reduce the number of school crossing patrols in Hartlepool from 28 to 19 as one part of a challenging wider £2.6million savings plan.

However, the provisional local government finance settlement – announced in December – was a little better than expected and provides the authority with a small amount of financial flexibility.

Councillor Shane Moore, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council and Chair of the Finance and Policy Committee, said: “The improved funding we will receive next year is welcome and I will therefore be recommending to colleagues on the Finance and Policy Committee that we use this money to remove the proposed School Crossing Patrol saving and to also provide £70,000 for Local Welfare Support to help the most financially vulnerable people in our Borough. 

“After discussing the impact of the Government’s 2022/23 funding announcements with our Chief Financial Officer on the 22nd of December, I insisted this particular decision be revisited."

Councillor Shane Moore

Councillor Moore added: “I would have liked to have made this announcement at the start of January, however I delayed saying anything until the reports for the next Finance and Policy Committee meeting were ready to be published as this is a formal budget proposal for the Committee to consider. 

“I’m confident these proposals will be approved – although it is always important we follow the right procedures for making decisions and don’t make knee jerk decisions without all of the information.              

“I’m delighted the funding we will receive next year is better than expected and means I can make these proposals to committee, however I do need to be clear that we still face significant financial challenges and we have still had to make many difficult decisions to balance next year’s budget.”

The meeting of the Finance and Policy Committee will be held at 10am on Monday 14th February at Hartlepool Civic Centre.

A limited number of members of the public are able to attend with spaces being available on a first come, first served basis. Those wishing to attend a meeting should phone (01429) 523568 or (01429) 523019 by midday one working day before the meeting.