Contact: Tim Cheesebrough/Ernie Sage, ext 7114/6886

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That the Guidelines for the Operation of Road Safety Councils (February 2002), attached as Appendix A, be approved.

2. Reason

2.1 The adoption by the County Council of new operational guidelines for Hampshire's Road Safety Councils, in order to respond to a key outcome of the Best Value Review of the County Council's Road Safety Service.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 A change of title for Hampshire's Road Safety Councils to Road Safety Forum, Committee or Group.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. The County Council undertook a Best Value Review of its Road Safety Service (Education, Training and Publicity) in the year 2000, with the Outcomes Reports presented to the former Best Value Panel (Planning and Transportation) on 19 January 2001 and the former Planning and Transportation Committee on 2 April 2001. Subsequent to the consideration of the Outcome Reports, the Audit Commission's Best Value Inspectorate conducted an independent Desktop Audit into the services and the review of them, reporting in July 2001.

8. The Outcomes Report arising from the Review identified the need to reconsider the membership structure of Hampshire's 11 Road Safety Councils. It also identified the need to reconsider the communications mechanisms they employ between them and with key stakeholders, as well as the community at large, in order to improve the effectiveness of their casualty reduction education and publicity campaigns for the Hampshire community.

9. These matters were considered at a special workshop of Road Safety Council Chairmen held in July 2001, leading to a package of options for improvements to membership, communications and campaign effectiveness considered by all members during the summer/autumn of 2001. The Best Value Inspectorate's Desktop Audit Report also recommended further consideration of a change of title from `Road Safety Council' in order to avoid any possible confusion over their role which could reduce their effectiveness.

10. Road Safety Council Chairmen considered the results of the consultation and the Best Value Inspectorate's report findings at a meeting held in early December 2001 and resolved, as part of a wider package of changes to Road Safety Council operations, to promote a new set of Guidelines for Operation.

11. Among the matters considered was the amended Operational Guideline which strengthens the desirability of the Chairman of each Road Safety Council being a serving County or District Councillor. This was considered necessary in order to ensure each Road Safety Council maximised opportunities for important and strategic issues of concern to be conveyed at elected Member level to the County Council or relevant District or Borough Council.

12. They also considered the recommendation of a change of title from `Road Safety Council'. In debating the leading alternative titles of `Forum', `Committee' or `Group', Chairmen discussed how these alternatives might improve membership, communications and campaign effectiveness, which were key objectives of the Best Value Inspectorate's recommendation. Chairmen were concerned that the leading alternative titles might act to falsely give the impression of a reduction in the importance the County Council and Hampshire District Councils placed on the role of Road Safety Councils. This was particularly so at a time when it is crucially important to encourage greater support for activities from other public bodies and user group organisations with shared goals of improved road safety. On balance, therefore, Chairmen concluded the title should remain as existing.

13. The new Guidelines (Appendix A) respond also to recent changes in the County Council's Constitution and Committee structures. The existing Guidelines (which have been employed since 1985) are attached as Appendix B.

6947/TC/ES