Brimbank schools need to chip in to help pay for the municipality’s 115 school-crossing supervisors as the council is paying a bill of well above $1 million annually for the service.
That’s the view of the Municipal Association of Victoria president Bill McArthur.
State government funding for school crossings in Brimbank has decreased by nearly $60,000 in the past two years.
With a statewide review of crossing funding under way, council budget papers show the council will receive $346,000 in 2016-17, down from $405,000 in 2014-15.
Cr McArthur said a more sustainable model was needed for councils.
“School crossings are a shared responsibility between the Department of Education, VicRoads and councils, yet councils’ funding share has grown to 80 per cent as the state fails to meet its half of service costs,” he said.
“VicRoads’ bucket of money has not kept up with population growth. More crossings are popping up and the role of a crossing supervisor has changed, with uniforms and training needed. And schools don’t contribute. So they have a role to play.”
Cr McArthur said the council paying $1.2 million last financial year for the crossing program was not sustainable.
Council city development director Stuart Menzies said state government crossing funding grants had decreased due to the change in the number of pedestrians and vehicles at certain crossings.
“The council provides supervisors at 115 school crossings across the municipality each and every school day,” he said.
“Last financial year, the total cost of the school crossing supervisor program was $1,565,000.
“Council meets 80 per cent of this cost, which in 2015-16 was $1,243,000. A VicRoads subsidy of $322,000 provides the remaining 20 per cent of funding,” Mr Menzies said.
“VicRoads funding is based on a formula related, in general terms, to pedestrian and vehicle numbers at each crossing.”
VicRoads operation services acting director Nicki Kyriakou said it was committed to providing a subsidy for the school crossing program.
The review, involving VicRoads, the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Department of Education, is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
