Our Role
We undertake, on behalf of Kent County Council (KCC), all the administration processes for Road Crossing Patrols (RCPs) employed by the authority. This includes advice to Headteachers on the recruitment and subsequent employment of RCPs.
If at any time you have any employment relations issues relating to a RCP in your school, an SPS consultant is available to advise and support you. As consultants will normally be advising Headteachers on behalf of KCC there will be no cost to you.
The Road Traffic Patrol
The Road Transport Act 2000 (section 270) gives KCC the power to appoint RCPs.
RCPs are employees of KCC and any subsequent salary, or associated costs, are charged to the authority. On a day-to-day basis however, Headteachers are responsible for the line management of the school crossing patrol including:- Ensuring the crossing patrol is present
- Ensuring the crossing patrol is using the issued safety equipment in the correct way
- Ensuring the RCP wears full uniform when on duty and that the coat is fastened
- Ensuring the deputy patrol person is notified and in place when the appointed patrol person is unavailable
- Notifying us of any circumstances which may jeopardise the safety or proper functioning of the patrol and we may in turn request an additional monitoring visit from Road Safety
An RCP is only legally entitled to stop traffic if:
- We have issued them with a warranty card
- They have successfully completed the required training
- They are wearing the correct uniform, including headwear,
- They are displaying the authorised sign
Headteachers must ensure that the role of school crossing patrol is never allocated to anyone who has not been issued with a warrant card and had the required training. If, for whatever reason, the crossing patrol cannot operate for a period of two days or more, you should inform parents in writing to enable them to make an informed decision about how their children travel to school.
We suggest that you recruit a relief RCP for your school, who can be available when the substantive crossing patrol person is unavailable. This individual could be a current member of staff at the school. Whoever the school appoints must be issued with a warrant card by SPS and undertake the required training. They must have access to any standard safety equipment before they undertake any RCP duties.
Subsequent to their initial training KCC's road safety team will monitor all RCPs on an annual basis and in order to ensure a fair and accurate appraisal they will not be informed of the date when monitoring will take place. The road safety team will relay their observations to you, divisional officers, the police or to us as necessary.
For any queries please contact Frank Joyce at Frank.Joyce@kent.gov.uk