A COUNCIL'S £30m cuts package will see more jobs axed and some school crossing patrols cut.

Gateshead Council has already made 1,125 jobs redundant but plan to axe a further 224 as part of their £30m cuts package.

The latest cuts are the result of an increased loss of grant announced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles in December.

As part of the next round of cuts proposals, the council will axe the money behind Bill Quay farm if they can’t find a farm partnership to take over it.

They also plan to remove lunchtime school crossing patrols at five sites despite reducing spending cuts from £72,000 to £26,000.

Parents and schools have put pressure on the council to save the service, with more than 1,700 signatures collected on petitions and headteachers making representations.

Frank Hindle, the leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on the council, vowed to continue to fight to save crossing patrols.

“I have been fighting hard to retain the school crossing patrol service in Gateshead for over a year,” said Coun Hindle.

“The risk to children’s safety if their crossing patrol is removed is far too high, as the council’s own assessment of its plans makes clear.

“It would be totally unacceptable and unreasonable for Gateshead to do what no other council in the country has done and breach the guidelines.