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Agenda item

School Crossing Patrols

Minutes:

The Head of Operations – Community Services submitted a report, the purpose of which, was to recommend amendment to the School Crossing Patrol Service with adoption of the Road Safety Great Britain [GB] School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines 2016 (the 2016 GB Guidelines).

 

In a previous Cabinet Report of 3 March 2015, there were 24 identified permanent School Crossing Patrol Officers [SCP’s] currently employed by Bridgend County Borough Council. As a result of fluctuations in the service and as some SCPs have left or retired, there are now 17 permanent SCPs currently employed by Bridgend County Borough Council.

 

There are a number of sites which are historical and need to be investigated further to determine their status. For example, some sites are located where formal crossings have been provided, therefore SCP provision is not required and the posts have not been filled.

 

He explained that as detailed in the Road Safety GB School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines (2012), appraisal of a potential site should be carried out objectively and be capable of withstanding challenge or criticism. This guidance was updated in 2016. The main difference between the guidelines is that one of the 2012 criteria counts children and adults that are crossing the road, whereas the 2016 guideline criteria considers the primary user to be child pedestrians crossing the road adopted.

 

This approach does not mean that sites will be automatically disestablished if they do not meet the criteria, as dialogue would take place with schools and town/community councils if they expressed an interest in funding the retention of the site.

 

In keeping with the previous report a site would be assessed if there is a change in circumstances i.e. a school relocation, a retirement or vacancy of a school crossing patroller, or demographic changes to a school. 

 

The Head of Operations – Community Services added, that if the site does not meet the criteria, but the community consider the provision of an SCP to be important to them, then consideration should be given to other ways of funding the post such as the Community / Town Council. The SCP would be employed by BCBC but funded by the community.

 

This proposal is in line with the best use of resources and focusses on those sites where there is greatest assessed risk, based on the 2016 GB Guidelines.

 

The Cabinet Member – Communities, advised that there were no staffing implications currently, as a result of the report’s proposals which he supported.

 

The Cabinet Member – Social Services and Early Help advised that the safety of children in particular was paramount and School Crossing Patrols were very important to this end. In light of the difficulty of recruiting staff to patrol School Crossings, he commended the assistance from Roly Patroly, a vehicle that was used to pick up unauthorised parking of vehicles in restricted areas, including those near schools.

 

The Head of Operations – Community Services advised that Roly Patroly had been successful in controlling unauthorised parking, and he reminded those present that more facts and details on issues relating to this report would be shared with Subject Overview and Scrutiny 3 when the topic of Enforcement will be on the agenda at next month’s meeting.

 

The Cabinet Member – Future Generations and Wellbeing pointed out that if there were school crossing patrols outside or in the vicinity of any school, then this would possibly encourage pupils to walk more to schools than be driven there. Also, if any school crossing did not meet the required standards or criteria at any site and therefore were not subject to being patrolled by a School Crossing Patrol Officer, then could the school in question assist here in any way.

 

The Corporate Director – Education and Family Support advised that some schools had site supervision of traffic management schemes in place which may be able to assist to this end. Also, there was scope for a Town/Community Council or School Group to fund any controls should they express an interest to do so. However, any School Crossing Patrol Officer so recruited to control school crossings, would require to be employed by BCBC.

 

RESOLVED:                            That Cabinet approved that the 2016 GB Guidelines be adopted for future assessment  of vacant or proposed School Crossing patrol sites.

Supporting documents:

 

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