A) The Group
i. 1st Crawley Scout Group is a registered member of The Scout Association being part of Crawley District Scouts. Scout Association registration number 47153.
ii. The aims of the Group are to provide adventurous activities and personal development opportunities for young people aged 6-25. Personal development means promoting the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual well-being of the individual, helping them achieve their full potential.
iii. 1st Crawley is an “Open Group” and has no formal relationship with any other organisation and therefore practices unrestricted recruitment. Youth and adult membership is open to both sexes in line with the Scout Association’s Policy Organisation and Rules.
iv. The Scout Leader with overall responsibility in the Group is the Group Scout Leader (GSL). If the appointment of GSL is vacant a Group Scout Leader (Acting) or other person will be appointed by the District Commissioner.
v. The Group has its Headquarters at Oak Road, Southgate, Crawley, West Sussex where Group and Section meetings may be held. The HQ Building on this site is owned by the Group and the grounds are leased from West Sussex County Council (WSCC) by the Group. The Group uses the grounds by permission of WSCC and agrees to pay any rent to WSCC as may be required from time to time.
vi. The Group will operate its finances in accordance with The Scout Association’s Policy Organisation and Rules and the Charity Commission, with guidance as appropriate from the District Treasurer.
vii. The Group’s Financial Year will be 12 months from 1st April to 31st March, each year.
viii. The Group will conduct its scouting activities under The Scout Association’s Policy Organisation and Rules.
ix. The Group’s Annual General Meeting will be held within 6 months after 31 March each year.
x. The Group’s colours are Black and Purple and Group Scarves will consist of these colours.
xi. The Group is an educational charity. As a Scout Group, it is an Excepted Charity as recognised by the Charity Commission in England.
B) The Group Scout Council
The Group Scout Council is the electoral body, which supports Scouting in the Scout Group. It is the body to which the Group Trustee Board is accountable.
i. Membership of the Group Scout Council is open to:
Scouters;
Group Scout Active Support members (including the Group Scout Active Support Manager and Group Scout Active Support Coordinators – if appointed);
Colony, Pack and Troop Assistants;
Skills Instructors;
Administrators;
Advisers;
Patrol Leaders;
all parents of Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scouts;
any other supporters including former Scouts and their parents who may be admitted by the Group Scout Leader, the Group Trustee Board or the Group Scout Council;
Explorer Scout Leaders (if stated in a Partnership Agreement);
ii. The District Commissioner and District Chairman are ex-officio members of the Group Scout Council.
iii. Membership of the Group Scout Council ceases upon:
the resignation of the member;
the dissolution of the Council;
the termination of membership by Headquarters following a recommendation by the Group Trustee Board.
iv. The Group Scout Council must hold an Annual General Meeting within six months of the financial year end to:
receive and consider the Annual Report of the Group Trustee Board, including the annual statement of accounts;
approve the Group Scout Leader’s nomination of the Group Chairman and nominated members of the Group Trustee Board;
elect a Group Secretary and Group Treasurer;
elect certain members of the Group Trustee Board;
appoint an auditor or independent examiner or scrutineer as required.
C) The Group Trustee Board
i. The Group Trustee Board exists to support the Group Scout Leader in meeting the responsibilities of his/her appointment. The Board is responsible for:
the maintenance of the Group’s property and equipment;
the raising of funds and the administration of the Group’s finance;
the insurance of persons, property and equipment;
Group public occasions;
assisting with the recruitment of Leaders and other adult support.
ii. The Group Trustee Board consists of:
Ex-officio Members
The Group Chairman;
The Group Secretary;
The Group Treasurer;
The Group Scout Leader;
The Assistant Group Scout Leader;
The Explorer Scout Leader (if stated in a Partnership Agreement and subject to that Explorer Scout Leader expressly indicating to the AGM (in writing or orally at the meeting) that they are willing to perform such a function);
all Section Leaders (i.e. individuals holding a Beaver Scout Leader, Cub Scout Leader or Scout Leader role) subject to that Section Leader expressly indicating to the AGM (in writing or orally at the meeting) that they are willing to perform such a function.
Nominated Members
persons nominated by the Group Scout Leader;
the nominations must be approved at the Group Annual General Meeting;
the number of nominated members must not exceed the number of elected members.
Elected Members
persons elected at the Group Annual General Meeting;
these should normally be four to six in number;
the actual number must be the subject of a resolution by the Group Scout Council.
Co-opted Members
persons co-opted annually by the Group Trustee Board the number of co-opted members must not exceed the number of elected members.
Right of Attendance
the District Commissioner and the District Chairman have the right of attendance at meetings of the Group Trustee Board.
iii. Ideally, between the nominated members, elected members and co-opted members, the Group Trustee Board should include a parent of at least one Member of each of the Sections in the Group.
iv. The Group Trustee Board may establish any sub-Committees that it deems necessary.
v. The Group Scout Leader and the Group Chairman will be ex-officio members of any sub-Committee of the Group Trustee Board.
vi. Any fundraising committee must include at least two members of the Group Trustee Board, in addition to the ex-officio members, as far as it is practicable to do so.
vii. The Scout Group is an educational charity and Members of the Group Trustee Board are the charity trustees of the Scout Group.
viii. Only persons aged 18 and over may be full voting members of the Group Trustee Board because of their status as charity trustees.
ix. Certain people are disqualified from being charity trustees by virtue of the Charities Acts.
x. Charity trustees are responsible for complying with all the legislation applicable to charities.
xi. The Scout Group is registered as a charity in England and will comply with the requirement to make an annual return to the Charity Commission.
D) The Group Scouters’ Meeting
i. Membership of the Group Scouters’ Meeting consists of the Group Scout Leader as chairman, all Section Leaders and Assistant Leaders and the Group Scout Active Support Manager. Explorer Scout Leaders may be included if stated in the partnership agreement.
ii. The role of the Group Scouters’ Meeting is to:
consider the well-being and development of each Member of the Group;
ensure the progress of each Member through the programme;
plan and co-ordinate all the Group’s activities;
to keep the Group Trustee Board advised of the financial and other resource requirements of the training programme.
E) Conduct of Meetings
i. Only members as defined above may vote in meetings of the Group Scout Council and the Group Trustee Board.
ii. Decisions are made by a majority of votes cast by those present at the meeting. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast on either side the chairman does not have a casting vote and the matter is taken not to have been carried.
iii. Quorum for meetings of the Group Scout Council and the Group Trustee Board and its sub-Committees will be established and approved by the Group Scout Council.
iv. Electronic voting (such as email) is allowed for decision making of the Group Trustee Board when deemed appropriate by the Chair. In such instances at least 75% of its committee members must approve the decision.
v. The Group Trustee Board and Group Scout Council (e.g. AGM) can meet by telephone conference, video conference as well as face to face in order to discharge their responsibilities when agreed by the appropriate Chair.
F) Updating or Amending the Constitution
This Constitution can only be updated or amended by the Group Trustee Board. All updates or amendments must be presented at the Group Annual General Meeting and approved by the Group Scout Council before the Constitution is changed.
