Scottish Scout Groups / Districts / Regions

Application for Charitable Status

with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)

Since the introduction of regulation through The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the establishment of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)a Scout body in Scotland may only refer to itself as a charity if it is registered with OSCR and has its own Scottish Charity Number. This differs from the position in other parts of the UK.

Certain benefits may not apply to Scout bodies that are not registered charities, e.g.

  • a Scout body in Scotland must be registered as a charity in its own right if it wishes tobenefit from Gift Aid.
  • A Scout Group / District / Region that owns property (e.g. a hall or campsite) may find that entitlement to mandatory & discretionary Local Authority rating relief does not apply if it does not have its own OSCR registration number.

Following discussions between Scottish Scout Headquarters (SHQ) and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), approval has been given by OSCR to an option to standardise the process for new applications for charitable status by Scout bodies in Scotland.

To avail of this straightforward process a Scout body wishing to register as a charity must

(a)agree to adopt POR (with Scottish Variations) as its governing document (constitution);

(b)provide OSCR with a signed minute of the meeting agreeing to this course of action using the template provided by SHQ, and

(c)complete the OSCRApplication Formusing the text provided in the guidance given below. (NB: simply cut and paste the answers into the OSCR form)

No copy of POR need be sent with your application. OSCR may contact SHQ to confirm the status of the applicant body.

Additional useful information can be found in the Resources area of the SHQ Scouts-Scotland website

Further information and guidance on duties ofTrusteesis available on the OSCRwebsite

MINUTE OF MEETING

of the Executive Committee of the ……………………………………………..

Scout Group / District / Region (name)

held on …………………………………………. (date)

held at ………………………………………… (place)

Present (print names)

……………………………………………. Chairman

……………………………………………. Secretary

…………………………………………….. Treasurer

……………………………………………… (acting) Group Scout Leader /

District / Regional Commissioner

It was unanimously agreed to adopt Policy Organisation and Rules (with Scottish Variations) of The Scout Association as the Governing Document of the Group / District / Region with immediate effect.

It was also noted that the Group / District / Region will continue to provide the Scouting Programme in accordance with POR, and any amendments issued from time to time.

DECLARATION

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of

the (name)………………….………..………………..……… Group/District/Region

held on (date) …….…………………………………………..

at (place)………………………………………………………………………………

it was unanimously agreed to adopt Policy Organisation and Rules (with Scottish Variations ) of The Scout Association as the governing document of the said

……………………………………………………....Scout Group / District / Region

Signed …………………………………………… Chairman/Trustee

Signed……………………………………………. Secretary/Trustee

Signed …………………………………………….Treasurer/Trustee

Signed……………………………………………(acting) Group Scout Leader /

District / Regional Commissioner

Guidance for Scout bodies in Scotland on completing the OSCRApplication Formfor Charitable Status

1a / Insert name e.g. 1st XYZ Scout Group; XYZ District Scout Council, etc.
1b / N/A
1c / In most cases insert N/A. If in doubt contact SHQ for advice
2a / Insert the name and contact details of the member of the Executive Committee to whom correspondence will be sent
2b / In most cases insert N/A. Otherwise, provide ajustifiable reason why the chosen member’s name and address should not be published on the register
3. / Insert your own Group website address and social media addresses.
4. / Tick box ‘2’ (i.e. Unicorporated association)
5. / N/A
6. / Insert the following:
We have adopted the Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) of The Scout Association,with Scottish Variations applying, as the Group / District / Region (delete as appropriate) constitution. A signed copy of the minute of the meeting relevant to this adoption is attached.
The Purpose of Scouting: Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
Our principle purposes are:
(b) the advancement of education
(f) the advancement of citizenship
7a / Scouting provides a progressive non-formal education programme for young people aged generally from 6 to 25. The programme has a core framework based around personal development areas:
7b / The programme is delivered with guidance and support of adult volunteers, who are required to meet adult membership commitments to training
7c / Scouting supports the development of young people through a programme that delivers the four capacities of the Curriculum for Excellence; contributes to the well-being of our community through promoting active citizenship; and contributes to the development of community capacity through its volunteer training programmes
7d / The Method of achieving the purpose of Scouting is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and Law and guided by adult leadership.
8a / In most cases insert N/A
For Groups / Districts / Regions with employees or individuals receiving an honorarium, provide brief details and insert the following: No employee is permitted to be a trustee of the Group/District/Region
8b / Membership provides entitlement to wear Scout uniform as appropriate and to wear programme and training badges and awards. It also confers membership of the Worldwide Scout Movement.
9a / Membership of programme sections is open to young people aged 6 to 25. Adult membership is open to adults aged 18+who must agree to operate in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) of The Scout Association.
9b / Members pay an annual membership subscription to contribute to costs of services from District, Region and Headquarters.
Groups may additionally insert the following:
A weekly/monthly/quarterly subscription of £X also contributes to the costs of general programme activities
9c / There is no formal concessionary scheme, but best endeavours are used through fundraising, grant applications, etc. to ensure in a discrete manner that finance is not a barrier to participation for any individual.
9d / There is an annual membership subscription of c. £27per member payable for Headquarters, District and Region services
9e / N/A
9f / Through Membership and Associate Membership, Scouting is open to all.
10 / Groups – normally ‘c’
Districts / Regions – normally ‘b’ and / or ‘c’
Where there are employees in a pension scheme also tick ‘a’.
11 / Tick ‘a’ – Children or young people
12 / Groups – normally ‘a’
Districts – normally ‘b’ or ‘c’
Regions – tick ‘c’
13a / Leave blank
13b / Leave blank
13c / Leave blank
13d / Scouts Scotland SC 017511
14. / Insert date of the end of your financial year – it is most common to have 31st March as the year-end date
15. / At Checklistwrite the word ‘Scouts’ beside the boxes for ‘governing document‘ and ‘business plan’.
Make sure to include the signed Minute and Declaration from the appropriate Executive Committee meetings, which confirm POR with Scottish Variations as the governing document.
Trustee Declaration Forms can be found here
Don’t forget to complete and sign the last pages of the form Q15