SCHOOL CROSSING PATROLS

Proposed by Councillor Leah Fraser

Seconded Councillor Anderson

(1)  This Council recognizes and applauds the invaluable work carried out by school crossing patrols, and which they continue to do, to keep our primary school children safe from accidents and death when crossing the road outside schools.

(2)  This Council recognizes that the criteria for deciding whether to provide a school crossing patrol are advisory only.

(3)  This Council recognizes that, if 18 school crossing patrols are removed, 23 schools will be affected and road safety around them will worsen.

(4)  Council is disappointed with the lack of consultation with schools over the removal of school crossing patrols.

(5)  Council believes school budgets should be spent on services within school and not used to subsidise Council responsibilities.

(6)  That Council, therefore, recognizes the need for the current number of school crossing patrols to be maintained for the safety of our primary school children.

Proposed by Councillor Leah Fraser

Seconded Councillor Tom Anderson

(1)  This Council recognizes and applauds the invaluable work carried out by school crossing patrols, and which they continue to do, to keep our primary school children safe from accidents and death when crossing the road outside schools.

(2)  This Council recognizes that the criteria for deciding whether to provide a school crossing patrol are advisory only.

(3)  This Council recognizes that, if 18 school crossing patrols are removed, 23 schools will be affected and road safety around them will worsen.

(4)  Council is disappointed with the lack of consultation with schools over the removal of school crossing patrols.

(5)  Council believes school budgets should be spent on services within school and not used to subsidise Council responsibilities.

(6)  That Council, therefore, recognizes the need for the current number of school crossing patrols to be maintained for the safety of our primary school children.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(3):

Proposed by Councillor Patricia Williams

Seconded by Councillor Teggin

Delete all after (2) and insert:

(3)  Council believes that school budgets should be spent on services within schools’ responsibilities, including supporting School Travel Plans.

(4)  Council urges that a regular process of updating risk assessments of all the current and future crossing patrols should be in place, the presumption being that sites should continue to be provided unless there has been a change of circumstances in the area (such as the closure of a school removing the need, or if there is a Pelican or Puffin crossing at that site or nearby) or that the risk assessment identifies sufficient changes to warrant a review and possible discontinuation after full discussion and examination with the school(s) concerned. Risk assessments shall pay due regard to the existing RoSPA guidelines and also to issues such as road gradient, layout, traffic flows speeding, and congestion.  The same criteria should be used for assessing applications for new crossing patrols.

(5)  Officers be requested to develop a policy incorporating all the points raised in (4) above and present a report to the Cabinet within the next six months.

Having applied the guillotine the Council did not debate this matter.

The amendment was put and carried with the Council dividing as follows:

For the amendment (39) - Councillors RL Abbey, A Bridson, I Coates, JA Crabtree, George Davies, PL Davies, WJ Davies, F Doyle, S Foulkes, G Gardiner, John George, PN Gilchrist, T Harney, SA Holbrook, AT Jennings, SE Kelly, Brian Kenny, DT Knowles, Ann McLachlan, M McLaughlin, CM Meaden, GD Mitchell, RK Moon, S Niblock, Jean Quinn, M Redfern, PTC Reisdorf, DE Roberts, J Salter, H Smith, PA Smith, WW Smith, PM Southwood, JV Stapleton, A Taylor, CM Teggin, R Wilkins, KJ Williams and P Williams.

Against the amendment (25) - Councillors T Anderson, C Blakeley, SL Clarke, WA Duffey, DM Elderton, GJ Ellis, Mrs L Fraser, JE Green, J Hale, Karen Hayes, Paul Hayes, AC Hodson, PSC Johnson, J Keeley, D Kirwan, I Lewis, SD Moseley, SR Mountney, C Povall, A Pritchard, Mrs LA Rennie, SL Rowlands, Sue Taylor, GCJ Watt, and Mrs K Wood.

Abstainers (1) – Councillor A Jones.

Resolved (39:25:1) – That

(1)  This Council recognizes and applauds the invaluable work carried out by school crossing patrols, and which they continue to do, to keep our primary school children safe from accidents and death when crossing the road outside schools.

(2)  This Council recognizes that the criteria for deciding whether to provide a school crossing patrol are advisory only.

(3)  Council believes that school budgets should be spent on services within schools’ responsibilities, including supporting School Travel Plans.

(4)  Council urges that a regular process of updating risk assessments of all the current and future crossing patrols should be in place, the presumption being that sites should continue to be provided unless there has been a change of circumstances in the area (such as the closure of a school removing the need, or if there is a Pelican or Puffin crossing at that site or nearby) or that the risk assessment identifies sufficient changes to warrant a review and possible discontinuation after full discussion and examination with the school(s) concerned. Risk assessments shall pay due regard to the existing RoSPA guidelines and also to issues such as road gradient, layout, traffic flows speeding, and congestion.  The same criteria should be used for assessing applications for new crossing patrols.

(5)  Officers be requested to develop a policy incorporating all the points raised in (4) above and present a report to the Cabinet within the next six months.