CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after hearing that many of Dorset’s lollipop patrols may be saved.

It looks as though Dorset County Council will have to fund the majority of its school crossing patrols (SCP) after all because an investigation has found that no-one else has the money or is prepared to offer financial help.

More than 60 lollipop men and women face losing their jobs next spring in wake of spending cuts in a bid to save the county council £200,000.

But a panel set up by the council reckons the authority should continue funding 50 patrols at sites which meet national criteria because of their location near busy roads and that this becomes the council’s formal policy.

The panel, however, believes there are a handful of locations where lollipop patrols can be withdrawn because they are not deemed unsafe or they are at permanent crossing sites.

The panel’s recommendations went before the council’s Environment Overview Comm-ittee yesterday which voted in favour of continuing to provide SCPs at sites meeting national criteria and further said five patrols which guard zebra or pelican crossings should also be supported. But committee members decided that funding should be withdrawn from five sites which do not meet the criteria from April 1, 2012, to save an estimated £17,500.

The recommendations need to be approved by the Cabinet on October 5.

Helen Toft, the Weymouth mum who has devoted the past year campaigning for the under-threat patrols, is delighted there may be a positive outcome.

Mrs Toft said: “I think it’s wonderful. I’m very pleased, although I realise we’re quite not there yet as this has to be approved by the Cabinet.”

She added: “The report confirms what we were saying all along, that there is no money out there to fund these patrols.”

Steven Booth, a parent governor at Holy Trinity Primary School in Weymouth, said: “I agree wholeheartedly with the campaign which Helen Toft has been vigorously running to convince the county council to change their minds over this.

“It’s a very controversial issue with parents and what it boils down to is that when children’s lives are at risk you don’t want to be talking about figures. We all know the financial constraints the council is under and they have statutory responsibility for certain services but this is about child safety.”

County councillor Karl Wallace, who was among councillors calling for the panel to be set up, said “common sense had prevailed.”

There was a major backlash at Dorset County Council proposals to cut lollipop men and women’s jobs.

Campaigners, who presented a 10,000 name petition to the council, claim children’s lives will be put at risk by the removal of lollipop people who they say do an invaluable job guarding busy roads.

The council agreed earlier this year to establish a Policy Development Panel to consider alternative options for continuing the school crossing patrols beyond next March.

Head of Road Safety Robert Smith said in a report to the Environment Overview Comm-ittee: “The panel noted that not one school community has offered funding towards the retention of the SCP service in their area.

“Approaches have been made to national supermarket chains and local businesses and organisations for possible sponsorship funding but no positive responses have been received.”

He added: “As no school community has come forward with a firm proposal to fund the continuation of the SCP service and with no local or national sponsor expressing firm interest, the panel has considered options that would see a continuation of the service funded by the council after March 31, 2012.”

A council spokesman said the £200,000 to fund SCPs was identified as a saving and the money would still have to be found elsewhere in the budget.