CROSSING patrols outside Hampshire schools could be axed as part of a bid to save £1 million.

The proposals form part of Hampshire County Council’s efforts to reduce its costs over the next two to three years and is part of a strategy to reduce a £132 million financial gap in the 2025/26 budget.

As a result the county council is considering cutting or ending most non-statutory services.

Slashing the crossing patrols should save the council £1.1 million.

If its plans are approved, Hampshire County Council says it will assess each school’s situation and find an alternative where possible.

Executive lead member for universal services, Councillor Nick Adams-King, said that no one at the council wants to make difficult decisions that affect the most vulnerable in the community.

But he said the authority needs to save the money.

Cllr Adams-King said: “None of us want to do this job and be elected to take this decision. But this is not the end of the process, this is the beginning.

"Some proposals still need further consultations.

“We need to take a holistic approach, look at the reports, the impacts and the assessments that we have to the different proposals.

"We have a situation where, unusually, as a council, we work two years ahead.

“We have the responsibility to get children to school safely, but maybe there are practical things that can do that mean we don’t need the school crossing patrol at some places, but maybe in other sites, there won’t be possible not to have them around.

“A lot of work is yet to be done.”

On Monday he gave the green light to send the proposed cuts to a further meeting in November

If approved, further steps will include undertaking assessments of each school crossing patrol in Hampshire to determine whether alternative safe measures could be put in place, enabling the provision to be withdrawn.

School crossing patrols in Southampton will not be affected they are organised by the city council.