WIRRAL'S ruling Labour group has come under fire for "underhanded" tactics in recent budget deliberations over school crossing patrols.

Council leader Phil Davies rejected the claims as "disingenuous."

Leading Liberal Democrat councillor Stuart Kelly claimed that last year the council consulted on a specific option to pull out of providing school crossing patrols and the result was a massive rejection by the public.

He said: "This year the idea resurfaced and has been sneaked through in a very underhand manner by the cabinet.

"The last year the option was clearly headed School Crossing Patrols; this year it was hidden away under the vaguer heading of 'working in partnership with schools'.

"Everyone wants to work in partnership; but hidden within this is a proposal for the council to pull out of paying for school crossing patrols."

Cllr Kelly went on: "I am not convinced people would have backed this if it had been clearer and more transparent and they had known it places school crossing patrols at risk.

"I urge the council to be more transparent over this and re-consult parents over school crossing patrols or better still - restore the proposed cut to this service at council on Monday."

Cllr Davies said: "We have had extensive discussions with schools about them footing the bill for school crossing patrols and my understanding is that the vast majority of them have agreed to do this.

Cllr Kelly's claims are disingenuous and I reject them. These discussions were part of the budget consultation exercise we have just completed.

"Schools have large reserves and it was felt they could pay the fairly modest bill for providing crossing patrols."