Agenda item

To consider the findings and recommendations of the Improving Places Select Commission scrutiny review in respect of school road safety across the borough of Rotherham.

The Board considered a report presenting the findings and recommendations from the Improving Places Select Commission Review - School Road Safety, which had been commissioned following a Notice of Motion to Council in November 2023. The review examined school road safety across the borough and sought to identify actions that could improve safety for children, families, schools and local communities through partnership working and coordinated interventions.

 

Councillor McKiernan thanked Kristianne Thorogood, Governance Advisor,  the review group members and Councillor Tinsley, who had chaired the review, for their work. It was noted that evidence had been gathered from a range of sources, including discussions with external organisations and neighbouring authorities, which had helped inform the recommendations. Reference was made to learning from partners including South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Sheffield City Council, and it was emphasised that the recommendations were intended to be ambitious, with Cabinet determining how they should be taken forward. The Improving Places Select Commission had previously considered the report and raised no additional recommendations.

 

Councillor Baggaley welcomed the review and stressed the importance of ensuring that any actions arising from the recommendations were supported by clear timescales and proactive implementation arrangements, given the road safety risks observed around schools.

 

The Chair, Councillor Steele outlined the next stages of the process, noting that the report would be submitted to Cabinet for consideration, with a formal response to be provided before the recommendations were presented to Full Council for approval. The Board subsequently supported the review and its recommendations.

 

Resolved That: The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board:

 

1)    Noted the contents of the report;

 

2)    Received the recommendations set out below (IPSC Recommendations) for consideration and endorsement;

 

3)    Agreed that the report, together with the approved IPSC Recommendations, be submitted to Cabinet for consideration and a formal response;

 

4)    Asked Cabinet to formally consider its response to the Recommendations within two months of its receipt, in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules; and

 

5)    In responding to these Recommendations, requested that any response by Cabinet should identify the proposed actions, responsible Officer(s), success measures and target completion dates for each Recommendation.

 

IPSC Recommendations

 

a)    Improved Cross-Directorate Working

 

i)      Develop a cross-directorate map of roles and responsibilities (e.g. highways, school engagement, enforcement, crossing patrol) to establish and embed stronger partnership working across Council services, including improvements to internal reporting and decision-making systems and processes aligned across directorates.

 

ii)     Consider the feasibility of establishing a cross-directorate working group (that meets regularly, with clear terms of reference and a governance structure) to oversee school road safety in Rotherham. The aim of this working group would be to drive and coordinate delivery and provide increased accountability and visibility.

 

iii)   Any established school road safety working group should be launched as the front-facing, main point of contact for collaboration with residents, schools, Councillors, and partners related to school road safety, to ensure the Council’s commitment to school road safety is both visible and accessible. Consider the creation of a dedicated section of the Council website on school road safety to support this.

 

iv)   Work together with ward Councillors to progress the development of ward-specific road safety plans, each to contain a section on road safety issues around local schools. These plans would inform each ward’s CAP development plans.

 

v)    In the spirit of the new Neighbourhood Leadership Strategy, council services should endeavour to keep Councillors regularly informed on any new plans relating to transport and school road safety and/or works due to be carried out within their wards at the earliest possible opportunity.

 

b)    Data, Monitoring and Strategic Alignment

 

i)      Take steps to improve baseline data collection around schools (e.g traffic, parking, reported incidents, travel behaviours). Establishment of centralised, cross-directorate incident reporting and escalation processes would help to identify areas of concern and need, which in turn, would inform the prioritisation of potential projects and pilot school locations.

 

ii)     Develop a coordinated, borough-wide School Road Safety Strategy, to be aligned with SYMCA’s regional action plans and travel strategies – such as the new South Yorkshire Transport Strategy and the Walking, Wheeling & Cycling Strategy.

 

iii)   Explore what regional support may be available via the Safer Roads Partnership and the Active Lives & Safer Roads teams at SYMCA, for example, access to shared data mapping tools/systems and funding opportunities.

 

iv)   Consider the coordination of projects with neighbouring local authorities via SYMCA, which would provide opportunities for enhanced economies of scale.

 

c)    Funding Development

 

i)      Establish a defined and protected allocation for school road safety projects within wider capital transport funding to ensure longer-term funding streams that can support the shift to a more proactive and co-ordinated approach.

 

ii)     Use the recommended enhanced data collection models to strengthen the evidence base to support future funding bids. Develop a clear pipeline of projects to maximise use of Transport for City Regions and Integrated Settlement Active Travel funding via SYMCA to support school road safety.

 

iii)   Work with SYMCA to explore how Rotherham could benefit from the government’s new Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy and the projected £4.5 billion of investment to be made available over the next 5 years.

 

iv)   Develop a balanced programme of low-cost interventions (signage, markings, speed reduction measures) and targeted higher-cost schemes, using the suggested enhanced data collection models to provide evidence to inform and justify the prioritisation of certain schools and schemes.

 

v)    Develop a funding stream to support opportunities for increased work with and support for schools across the borough (see d) School Engagement & Active Travel below).

 

vi)   Strengthen existing work with the Planning team to ensure early identification of any potential section 106 developer funding for specific road safety improvements/schemes.

 

d)    School Engagement & Active Travel

 

i)      Urgently undertake a borough-wide survey of all schools to better understand their concerns and needs regarding school road safety.

 

ii)     Using the results of the survey and enhanced data mapping models (alongside existing knowledge and data), identify a priority list of schools in the borough for targeted intervention (e.g. top 10/20/30).

 

iii)   Give consideration to the provision of additional dedicated School Engagement Officers/Active Travel Officers to strengthen trust and engagement with school leaders and governors. Such officers would be able to support enhanced engagement activities, such as assemblies, parent consultation and the promotion of Active Travel initiatives. This in turn, would help to encourage overall behaviour change from both pedestrians, drivers, and other road users around schools.

 

iv)   Consider the creation of a borough-wide “Junior Road Safety Officer Programme” to allow schools and their pupils to lead on initiatives appropriate to their school settings. This would engage and benefit pupils in taking ownership of schemes to support their schools.

 

v)    Conduct a full exploration of the different Active Travel schemes that are available (e.g Mode Shift Stars) and identify which schools already have an Active Travel Plan in place. Schools need support in applying for accreditation to such schemes and in implementing them, which should form part of the role of any additional School Engagement/Active Travel Officers.

 

vi)   Identify any schools which may be suitable for the establishment of a School Streets pilot scheme, bearing in mind the fact that any School Streets scheme would need to be supported by proven prior active travel initiatives, and an engaged and committed senior leadership team and parent community.

 

vii)  Work towards coordinating any existing initiatives (e.g Bikeability) into a single, coherent offer, introducing more child-centred, “fun first”  campaigns. Invite external experts and teams from SYMCA and neighbouring local authorities to share best practice and success stories.

 

e)    Enforcement & Crossing Patrol

 

i)      Establish better cross-directorate data-sharing systems (as per a) above), to ensure that data collected by the Crossing Patrol and Parking Enforcement teams regarding incidents/near-misses and offences are monitored and used to inform decisions on priority sites and projects.

 

ii)     Consider opportunities for the pilot use of body-cameras by crossing patrollers, giving due regard to safeguarding and data protection concerns.

 

iii)   Conduct a detailed feasibility review into wider camera enforcement rollout of redeployable/static ANPR cameras, including a cost-benefit analysis and identification of suitable pilot locations.

 

iv)   Consider further investment in roaming CCTV vehicles to support compliance and enforcement for parking offences around schools. Capacity for enforcement is currently limited to one CCTV van for all 200+ schools in the borough. A lack of a regular presence leads to inconsistent and ineffective enforcement.

 

v)    Explore the potential for increased engagement with South Yorkshire Police, including a possible joint approach to promoting local anti-parking campaigns and joint responses at problem locations.

 

vi)   Monitor and review forthcoming government guidance on footway parking powers. Consider any opportunities to tie the local enforcement approach into any future RMBC Pavement Parking Policy.