Purpose

Approval of the 2023 refresh of the School
Crossing Patrol Protocol

Several options were considered as part of the 2016 MTFS process in
terms of running the SCPs in the most efficient way possible. This
decision reflects the updating of our internal protocols for
managing the sites based on the MTFS decision.

Content

Approval of the refreshed School Crossing
Patrol Protocol which sets out how we manage school crossing
patrols as a service. The changes in the protocol reflect the
decisions made, and actioned, as part of the MTFS process in 2016
(Appendix 5).

The existing protocol was adopted in 2010 (Appendix 1). The 2023
refreshed version (Appendix 2) reflects the outcomes of MTFS
service reviews in 2016 and details how the service currently
operates and has been operating since 2016, covering the following
areas:

• Criteria for School Crossing Patrol Sites (site
establishment)
• Site Specific Risk Assessments
• Patrol Absence / Vacancy Cover
• Site Disestablishment
• Funded School Crossing Patrol Sites
• Volunteer School Crossing Patrols

Alternative options considered

All of the areas outlined below have been
implemented since the 2016 MTFS process and this is simply an
updating of the SCP Protocol to reflect those changes.

• Site establishment

All sites are established in accordance with nationally adopted
guidelines provided by Road Safety GB. These guidelines assign a
category of risk based on the number of children crossing and the
number of passing vehicles at peak times, plus a range of
additional safety considerations including whether or not there are
additional crossing facilities in place.

The MTFS review in 2016 removed the requirement to fund Patrols at
signal-controlled crossings and at lower category sites. However,
SCPs are still provided at high category zebra crossing sites and a
small number of schools currently fund the provision of a Patrol at
a low category site within their locality.

• SCP site list cleanse

There are currently 274 identified SCP sites across the county.
However, 17 of these have not been in operation for between 2 to 6
years and are currently designated low category sites. These will,
therefore, be disestablished in line with the outcome from the 2016
review; but could be reinstated if the future categorisation of the
location were to change

• Disestablishment of sites

Moving forward, all sites will be assessed against the national
guidelines on a biennial basis and, additionally, when the
incumbent Patrol resigns/retires.

Low category sites which do not meet the criteria will be
disestablished. (This does not apply to externally funded Patrol
positions.)

The 2023 protocol details the process for disestablishment, which
includes engagement with local stakeholders and, in the event of a
dispute, a final decision by the Cabinet Member for Highways and
Transport.

• Recruitment

Despite community support for the service, it is often difficult to
recruit to Patrol vacancies, of which there are currently 45 at
high category sites as detailed in (Appendix 3). This number does
however vary from week to week.

The new 2023 protocol clarifies that vacant high category sites
will not be disestablished and the service will continue to work
with the local community to promote vacancies on a routine
basis.

• Absence cover / adverse weather conditions

Cover for Patrol absences is managed through use of Mobile Patrols
and Local Relief Patrols at a cost of £102k per year (plus
mileage costs of approximately £31k per year).

The current cohort of Mobile / Relief staff is not sufficient to
cover every Patrol absence or vacancy and the management team will
make daily risk assessments to deploy available resources on a risk
management basis.

The cohort of Mobile Patrols across the county will be continually
reviewed to provide as an effective service as possible. Current
location bases of Mobile and Local Reliefs can be seen in (Appendix
4).

Mobile patrols have access to a car and travel wherever needed
within a large area of Staffordshire, dependent on their location
and the priority of the crossing point. They are required to be on
duty every day during term time.

Local reliefs do not ordinarily have a car and cover crossing
points within walking distance of the school. Local reliefs can
decline work as they are used less frequently and may have other
commitments.

The 2023 protocol also states that dynamic risk assessments on the
deployment of all affected Patrols will be made during adverse
weather conditions.

• Externally funded sites / Volunteering

The new protocol includes details on the opportunity for schools to
fund a Patrol at low category sites.

It also details the legal requirements to enable volunteers to stop
traffic at a SCP site, i.e., if the person has been individually
appointed by the County Council (as the “appropriate
authority”), has been adequately trained and is subject to
ongoing supervision. They must also wear the appropriate uniform
and display the prescribed sign.

The cost of training and supervision for externally funded and
volunteer positions is considered on a case-by-case basis.