Association of London Borough Road Safety Officers

Minutes of the Quarterly Meeting held on Friday 9th July 2010 in Committee Room 2 at the Guildhall

In attendance:
John Couch (Chairman)
Sam Merison (Vice Chair)LB Richmond

Liz Brooker (P & C Officer)LB Lewisham

Carol Walker (Administrator)
Mark BuntingLB Bexley

Debbie FowlerLB Brent

Alison BennettLB Brent
Belita ClaharLB Camden
Trevor BenhamLB Croydon
Susan MartinLB Croydon
Khair-un-nisa SimmondsLB Greenwich
Roger MilesLB Enfield

Elaine BecketLB Hackney

Rob OrchudeshLB Hammersmith & Fulham
Liz KnightLB Hounslow
Neil SimpsonRB Kensington & Chelsea
Patrick LongRB Kingston
Masum ChoudhuryRB Kingston

Emma NortonLB Newham
Roy BuchananLB Sutton

Angela SmithLB Tower Hamlets

Belle KainthLB WalthamForest
Peter WilsonCity of Westminster
David Hammond (guest)DfT
Alan Kennedy (speaker)Road Safety GB

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
   Apologies were received from Gareth Tuffery, Elaine Beadle, Paul Binnie, Halema Uddin, Janet Kirrage and Charmaine Jacques.

1. Notification AOB 7 items of AOB were notified.

1. Presentation: Alan Kennedy, Chairman, Road Safety GB
   Alan Kennedy gave a presentation on Road Safety GB. He spoke about its history and outlined the current structure. He spoke about how the organisation had been developed and what it had achieved so far. The name change to Road Safety GB has had an increased impact on the media and the public. Communications haveimproved but that PR role needs to be reviewed. Timebank is now the Road Safety Knowledge Centre. The need to trade time has been removed. The pilot will go live on 2/8 and will be on the agenda for the DfT Road Safety Delivery Board meeting on 15/9.
   He said that the organisation faces some challenges. It needs to make further efficiencies and also seek business partnerships and sponsors. It will continue to improve links with strategic partners and will look at the possibility of widening the membership base. Any proposals will go out for consultation of members. There needs to be more formal links with DfT and the advisory roles need to be reviewed.
   Alan spoke about the multi agency approach for road safety ETP delivery and asked why the market is so competitive and so uncoordinated. He suggested ways of removing this competitiveness using a systematic approach, developing a management/reporting structure with the DfT, developing guidance on regional structures and strategies, exploring effective ETP funding with DfT, development of national resources and looking at the organisation’s management needs with maybe full time officers.
   Alan then spoke about developing a complete Road Safety Standards Model. The National Staff Training Group are considering an industry standard CPD with set graded levels of training and a progression ladder. Having a fully coordinated and systematic regional and national approach to casualty reduction will mean there should be one voice for road safety.
   Roy Buchanan applauded the proposals and said that the weakness is the lack of enthusiasm from Council to Council. .Alan said that RSOs have enthusiasm but often do not have the support. There will be communication with Chief Executives.
   John Couch agreed and said that the weakness in London is apathy and protectionism.
   Roy said that RSOs do need to portray themselves as professionals and welcomed the plans for professional development.
   Khair-un-nisa Simmonds asked for Alan’s views on road safety being under the umbrella of travel planning. Alan said he thought it should be the other way around and that in some regions school travel plans are diminishing. He said that the key is to work together. Christine said that in London the Lips submission had led to the continuation of some STA’s and that at TfL, the Road Safety and Smarter Travel Units has been combined.
   Emma Norton urged members to support and continue membership of IRSO as being a member is a professional qualification. Peter Wilson said it would be helpful to have a list of qualifications for RSOs. Alan said that this is a task for the National Staff Training Group who are looking at what training is available and will come back with a list of courses, levels and employers guidance. Peter suggested surveying present members for their qualifications.
   The Chairman thanked Alan Kennedy for his presentation which Carol will circulate to London regional members.

David Hammond, Road Safety Implementation Team, Dept. for Transport, attended the meeting as a guest. He explained that as there had been no Pan London meeting organised by London Councils recently so he had asked to attend this meeting to update himself with Borough issues. David said that his team manage the partnership grant scheme but he has no information on grants for next year.

1. MINUTES OF THE LAST QUARTERLY 23/04/10
   Correction: item 5 should read “at the recent Smarter Travel event there were only a few Borough RSOs represented and more taking part would have been a positive way of raising the road safety image”.
   With the correction the minutes were accepted as a true and accurate record.
   
2. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
   Item 5 John Couch said that promoting the road safety image is becoming more of an issue as there is financial pressure on all services. Road Safety Officers should be confident that what they do is successful.
   Item 8 The “Miss Dorothy” resource was raised at P & M. Christine said the concern is that there had been no road safety input when the MPS developed this resource. The books are sent directly to the schools. Angela said that this is causing problems in LB Tower Hamlets. PCSOs are being tasked to deliver the road safety lesson and are giving inappropriate messages. She is trying to give guidance to the PCSOs. After discussion it was agreed to contact the MPS with RSGB London concerns. Christine will contact Insp. Graham Horwood and Liz will bring up the issue on the MPS Traffic Strategic Forum.
   Item 12 A letter had been sent to Peter Hendy with copies to David Brown and Ben Plowden re: TfL changes. A reply had been received which was read out to members.
   Item 12 Under 5s DVD. Liz reported that the next meeting of the Injury and Inequality group will take place on 20th July at LB Newham and RSOs are welcome to attend to view the Under 5s DVD on that day. Email to notify attendance.
   
3. P & C REPORT
   Liz had met with Jan Deans from Dynamic re: the production of a London Wide Cycling campaign with Kiss/Magic. There may be a problem with funding. An email will be sent out to RSOs to ask if there is any funding available.
   Carol had been contacted by CBeebies for an advisor on SCPs. She had given Liz Brooker’s and Chris King’s contact details.
   
4. TREASURERS REPORT
   Since the last meeting there had been £8233.75 paid into the account in error (3 sub payments and I DfT payment which are to be repaid to RSGB) There had been expenditure of £1922.60 consisting of error payments to RSGB, ½ profit for P2W seminar (repaid to RSGB) and refreshments. An invoice has been sent to dbda of £525.76 for publication sales in 2009/10. An invoice will be received shortly for £554.40 for secretarial expenses.
   
5. PROJECT GROUP REPORT
   There had been no recent Project Group meeting. Liz will call one shortly.
   
6. ROAD SAFETY GB POLICY AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 15/6/10
   The minutes and notes had been sent out with the papers. Christine gave a verbal report. She drew members’ attention to certain items.
   There is a total ban on DfT publicity and all planned activities are on hold.
   Highways Agency funding for the Good Egg Guide Campaign is not available at present.
   Timebank is to be transferred to the Road Safety Knowledge Centre.
   Research is being undertaken on what professional training is available for RSOs.
   Christine urged members to support the Road Safety GB Conference
   
7. REPORTS FROM LRSAG
   John Couch asked Emma Norton to arrange a meeting of this group now that she has returned.
   
8. REPORT PAN LONDON MEETINGS
   

11.1Research & Development. No recent meetings. Steering group at Londoncouncils needs to reconvene.

11.2Campaigns.No recent meetings

11.3Injury and Inequality Practitioners Sub group.Next meeting 20th July at LB Newham.

11.4SCP Coordinators meeting 21/5. Minutes were not available

12.REPORT FROM TFL
Christine reported that she has the main strand of education and training and she has been visiting Boroughs to update them on the changes at TfL. CTC, Key Stage resources, speed awareness, P2W are all under Christine’s remit along with quality assurance for school travel plans and LiPs support for the South boroughs. John Couch said it would be helpful to have names and contacts. Christine will give details to Carol for the LAPC RSO Directory which will be on the new LRSC(LAPC) website.
Emma asked about Children’s Traffic Club. Christine said that the basic club will run until 31st October. She is waiting for the final decision on the tenders for a pre-school road safety programme. She will keep members informed. She said that there is a commitment from TfL for 2 years for pre- school intervention and that the tendering has been a lengthy process.
Christine also gave an update on campaigns in that lots had been scaled back. There will be a re-run of the Teens campaign in July, August and September but not in cinemas. There will a cycle poster available July to October. There will be bike hangers also available July to October. Christine showed examples.
Liz asked if there could be an overprint saying “for cycle training contact you local RSO”. Christine said she would take this back but there may be a link on the web address.
Angela said that Cycle Superhighways are being launched in LB Tower Hamlets on 21/7 in Naval Road and on 19/7 on Clapham Common.

13. Reports from Working Parties/National Advisors/Working Parties
A Motorcycle Advisors report was tabled.

14.AOB
Rob Orchudesh gave a report on the new Hammersmith & Fulham Seat Belt Sledge. The old one had to be decommissioned after 12 years use. He suggested that the new one could be used at 2012 Olympics possibly at one of the 4 live sites. Before this event the sledge could be made available for a charge at road safety events in London Boroughs. A marketing plan is being produced. Rob said that those who take part are assessed by an RSO and have to sign a disclaimer.
Peter Wilson suggested using it at the Paralympics as well as the actual Olympics.
Khair-un-nisa Simmonds said that when Greenwich borrowed the previous sledge it was very difficult to operate. Rob said the new one has been improved and risk assessed by H & S.
Roger Miles said he was concerned if a user had undetected neck injuries and who would be responsible for any injuries. Rob said that there must be consent and disclaimer form signed and the RSO can refuse. Emma Norton queried whether signing a disclaimer may not be upheld legally. Rob will check on the legal aspects.
Projects group will look at the proposal. Rob will send draft costs to the Project group. There would be two levels of cost. One with just training and own supervision; one with supervision by Rob.
Peter suggested having an annual MOT for the equipment through REMY.
Christine read out names of the London Boroughs who have not paid RSGB subscriptions for 2010. Carol will email out to remind those who have not paid. There is an exclusion from the member’s area of the website for those who have not.
Christine reported that a letter had been sent to Ben Plowden, Better Routes and Places, TfL with concerns over the future of the JRSO event.
Liz Knight gave a report on E-valuit which has an October launch date. It has been DfT funded with RoSPA to develop it online. It is a tool for ETP project evaluation which produces a template for a report. The link is Liz will be making presentations on “E-valuit” once it is launched.
Carol gave out letters and a sample of the free leaflet from GEM Motoring Assist called “Don’t Motor on Meds” and invited orders through the LAPC.
Carol reminded members of the LAPC AGM/Annual Conference on Wed 21st July in the Bridewell Hall, St Bride Foundation and asked for confirmation of attendances. There will be speakers on 20 mph limits.
Liz Brooker spoke about the recent media interest in the 5 and 8 year olds cycling on the pavement to a school in Dulwich and asked for views on the issue. Following discussion it was agreed to ask the Projects Group to draws up guidelines or produce a position statement.

15.Date and venue of next Quarterly
Next meetingof the London Region will be on Friday 1st October 2010in Committee Room 2 at the Guildhall. The meeting closed at 1.00 pm.

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