Decision details

5.1       The Assistant Director, Communities introduced the report. The report provides an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review contained in appendix 2 of the report. There are twenty eight school crossing patrol sites funded by East Sussex County Council (ESCC), which meet the Council’s funding policy criteria.

5.2       In response to recommendation 6 of the Scrutiny Review, a questionnaire has been sent out to the ESCC funded sites to seek views about a change to funding whereby academies would pay for the school crossing patrol. The Road Safety Team has received fifteen responses to the questionnaire. Of the ten responses from ESCC maintained schools, eight were in favour of academies funding school crossing patrols themselves. Of the five responses from academies, none were in favour of a change in funding.

5.3       The Committee discussed the progress in implementing the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review. A summary of the main points that were raised is outlined below.

Budget Implications

5.4       The net budget for school crossing patrols is £82,000 per year. This represents £122,000 in costs and £40,000 in income from sponsorship (mainly from Parish Councils) and schools. The removal of funding from school crossing patrol sites that did not meet the policy criteria has resulted in a £22,000 a year saving, which falls short of the anticipated £50,000 a year savings. This shortfall will be made up from elsewhere within the departmental budget. The department has not held discussions with the Children’s Services Department about the funding school crossing patrols as it is not corporate policy to shunt costs from one department to another under the One Council approach.

Use of Volunteers

5.5       There are twenty one school crossing patrol sites that do not meet the policy criteria for ESCC funding which the Road Safety Team supervises and monitors. Eight of these sites are staffed by volunteers where the Road Safety Team provides training, uniform, police checks and risk assessments as well as supervision. The use of volunteers is challenging in terms of supervision. There are 23 volunteers involved with these eight sites and the Road Safety Team aims to check the operation of each crossing patrol at least once a term. There is no evidence to suggest that there are any problems that arise from the use of volunteers.

5.6       There is no statutory obligation on ESCC to provide school crossing patrols. However, ESCC is the only body who can approve school crossing patrols in its role as Highways Authority. Consequently ESCC has a responsibility to ensure that school crossings are operated safely, and providing supervision is a way of meeting this requirement.

5.7       The Road Safety Team has a pool of relief crossing patrol officers to cover staff absences and when patrol officers leave. It is not easy to recruit new crossing patrol officers as the hours are short and they need to be local to the site. Most crossing patrol officers do not take up the role for the money that is paid. 

Light Controlled Crossings

5.8       Recommendation1 of the Scrutiny Review refers to light controlled crossings. The capital cost of a light controlled crossing is between £50,000 and £80,000 depending on the location. This means that the payback period for a typical light controlled crossing (under an invest to save proposal) would be twelve to fifteen years (excluding maintenance costs). Therefore it is unlikely that the replacement of school crossing patrols with light controlled crossing can be cost justified.

5.9       The Committee asked if it would be possible to include information on the factors that determine the costs of a light controlled crossing in the sponsorship pack. The Road Safety Manager said he would try and develop a range of indicative costs that could be included in the pack and the Community Match Fund information to assist those wishing to fund a light controlled crossing.

Sponsorship

5.10     Since the Scrutiny Review there have been no enquiries from schools regarding sponsorship. The Road Safety Team is working with the Marketing and Communications department to update the sponsorship pack for schools (recommendation 2). Making sponsorship more attractive to sponsors is difficult as there is limited opportunity to display branding and logos on the crossing patrol uniform. When working on the highway safety standards require a high percentage of reflective material on the uniform to be visible to drivers. Information will be included in the pack on the use of signs and road signs for sponsorship.

Future School Crossing Patrol Provision

5.11     The impact of the Scrutiny Review has been to provide a more robust process for funding school crossing patrols that do not meet the ESCC policy criteria for funding. The current school crossing patrol policy position is defendable and in line with national guidelines. Any change in the policy criteria would need a strong evidence base to be developed to support the change, and may expose ESCC to legal challenge.

5.12     RESOLVED: It was resolved to agree the recommendations of the report to:

Note the progress made on the implementation of the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review.