(Updated 21 June 2024)
April 2023 POR: Executive Committees and Executive Committee Members were renamed Trustee Boards and Trustees respectively. Doing this brings us in line with good practice guidance set by the Charity Commission, our charity regulator. It also clarifies the purpose of Trustee Boards. Before the name change, Executive Committee members performed the roles of charity trustees and were responsible for charity governance. Trustee Boards are set up to focus solely on the governance of the charity, not charity operations, and the name change makes this focus clearer.
- Trustee Boards supervise administration of Groups, Districts and County, particularly around finance, risk, safety, and trusteeship of property.
- Everyone on the Trustee Board takes on the responsibilities of a charity trustee; they act collectively and in the best interests of the members of local Scouting
It’ll also help us to recruit new volunteers to Trustee Boards alongside the changes to Group, District & County structures. With an easier to understand purpose, volunteers have a better idea of whether they can get involved in a way that works for their skills, interests and availability.
March 2024 POR: confirmed the changes to the structure of all Trustee Boards effective from Scouting AGMs from 1 April 2024 onwards. This is align them with Charity Commission guidance, the key elements being:
Useful Resources ….
Annual General Meetings (held 18 April 23 onwards) are required to include some mandatory items on their agenda. To help with this HQ have provided the following AGM agenda templates and supporting notes/scripts. Group, District and County variant of the April 2023 constitution are also below. These can be downloaded here:
Frequently Asked Questions …. (coming soon)
Transformation Questions
How have the changes been publicised?
April 2023 changes: Around 100 Chairs/Reps of Group & District Executive Committees were briefed on 28 March/1 April 2023 via County lead webinars regarding the (then) upcoming changes from Executive Committees to Trustee Boards. The updates were also covered in the County News of April 2023 to all members. This also included a link to a recording of the webinar(s). In addition the key changes were covered at County Conference in May 2023 and by HQ in their all members’ bulletins.
Will trustee team descriptions and updated Chair and Treasurer role descriptions be provided?
A. There will be one ‘Trustee Board Team Description’ which will cover Groups, Districts and Counties. Specific tasks for Chair and Treasurer roles will be included within here, but many tasks conventionally done by these roles can already be done by other trustees, or will be undertaken as part of the ‘support function’.
Can Scout Groups start moving forward towards the new arrangements??
A. Executive Committees can start planning for the changes. If Executive Committees are faithful to current arrangements the changes will not feel too big!
Other Transformation queries: Please contact our County Transformation Lead: david.briston@cambridgeshirescouts.org.uk
What's the charitable status of a Scout Group?
A. There will be one ‘Trustee Board Team Description’ which will cover Groups, Districts and Counties. Specific tasks for Chair and Treasurer roles will be included within here, but many tasks conventionally done by these roles can already be done by other trustees, or will be undertaken as part of the ‘support function’.