SOUTH MARCHES DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL Charity Reg. No CONSTITUTION

Transcription

1 SOUTH MARCHES DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL Charity Reg. N INTRODUCTION CONSTITUTION The Scut Assciatin Scuting in the United Kingdm is rganised in Scut Grups, Scut Districts, Scut Cunties/Areas and Cuntry Headquarters. These units f Scuting prvide:- pprtunities fr yuth members and leaders t make decisins and take respnsibility; functinal units, thrugh which the design and delivery f the prgramme can be best achieved supprt channels fr cmmunicatin The bundaries f a Scut District are defined by the Cunty Headquarters in cnsultatin with the District Cmmissiner. A Scut District cmprises Scut Grups and ne r mre Explrer Units. Additinally the District may have a District Scut Netwrk and ne r mre District Active Supprt Units. The plicies f the Scut Assciatin The key plicies f The Scut Assciatin, which are incumbent n all members, are as fllws: A. The Religius Plicy (The Scut Mvement includes Members f many different frms f religin. The fllwing plicy has received the apprval f the heads f the leading religius bdies in the United Kingdm.) All Members f the Mvement are encuraged t make every effrt t prgress in the understanding and bservance f the Prmise t d their best t d their duty t Gd, belng t sme religius bdy and carry int daily practice what they prfess. There will be n discriminatin against any adult r child n grunds f religin. B. The Equal Opprtunities Plicy Yung Peple The Scut Assciatin is part f a wrld-wide educatinal yuth mvement. The values which underpin and inspire its wrk are embdied in the Scut Prmise and Law and in the Purpse f the Assciatin. Within this framewrk, the Assciatin is cmmitted t equality f pprtunity fr all yung peple. Accrdingly Scut Assciatin is cmmitted t extending Scuting, its Purpse and Methd t yung peple in all parts f sciety. N yung persn shuld receive less favurable treatment n the basis f, nr suffer disadvantage by reasn f class, ethnic rigin, natinality (r statelessness) r race, gender, marital r sexual status, mental r physical ability, plitical r religius belief. All Members f the Mvement shuld seek t practise that equality, especially in prmting access t Scuting fr yung peple in all parts f sciety. The Scut Assciatin ppses all frms f racism. Page 1 f 9

2 (Nte: With reference t gender, Membership f the yuth Sectins f the Assciatin is pen t girls and yung wmen f the apprpriate ages subject t a prcess f lcal selfdeterminatin in each Scut Grup as t whether existing single-sex prvisin shuld becme ceducatinal.) C. The Safety Plicy It is the plicy f The Scut Assciatin t prvide Scuting in a safe manner withut risk t health, s far as is reasnably practicable. The Assciatin believes that this respnsibility ranks equally with the ther respnsibilities incumbent upn thse prviding Scuting activities and functins. It is the respnsibility f all thse invlved in Scuting t seek, s far as is reasnably practicable, t ensure that all activities are cnducted in a safe manner withut risk t the health f participants, the prvisin and maintenance f equipment and buildings fr Members and thers is safe and withut risk t health and adequate fr their welfare, infrmatin, instructin, training and supervisin is prvided with the bject f ensuring the health and safety f all thse invlved in Scuting activities r wh may be affected by them, apprpriate arrangements are made t ensure safety and the absence f risks t health in cnnectin with the use, transprt, strage and handling f equipment, and substances which are inherently r ptentially dangerus. D. The Child Prtectin Plicy It is the plicy f The Scut Assciatin t safeguard the welfare f all Members by prtecting them frm physical, sexual and emtinal harm. Accrdingly The Scut Assciatin is cmmitted t taking int accunt in all its cnsideratins and activities the interests and well-being f yung peple, respecting the rights, wishes and feelings f the yung peple with whm it is wrking, taking all reasnable practicable steps t prtect them frm physical, sexual and emtinal abuse, prmting the welfare f yung peple and their prtectin within a relatinship f trust. E. Anti-Bullying Plicy "Children have the right t prtectin frm all frms f vilence (physical r mental). They must be kept safe frm harm and they must be given prper care by thse lking after them." [The United Natins Cnventin n the Rights f the Child, Article 19] The Scut Assciatin is cmmitted t this eths and seeks t ensure, as far as is reasnably practicable, the preventin f all frms f bullying amng Members. T this end all Scuting activities shuld have in place rigrus anti-bullying strategies. Registratin f Scut Districts The registratin, suspensin and cancellatin f Scut Districts are matters fr the Cunty Cmmissiner and Natinal Headquarters; this includes their amalgamatin and changes in bundary. Page 2 f 9

3 THE CONSTITUTION The fllwing represents the established Cnstitutin fr the Suth Marches District Scut Cuncil. The Cnstitutin cnfrms t the framewrk set ut by the Scut Assciatin dcument Plicy Organisatin and Rules (POR) as reviewed frm time t time. 1. The District Scut Cuncil The District Scut Cuncil is the electral bdy that supprts Scuting in the District. It is the bdy t which the District Executive Cmmittee is accuntable. 2. Membership f the District Scut Cuncil Membership f the District Scut Cuncil is pen t Cmmissiners, District and Grup Active Supprt Manager, Scuters, Administratrs, Sectin Assistants, Skills Instructrs, Advisers, all Explrer Scuts, all members f District Scut Netwrk, Chairmen f Trp Leadership Frums in the District, Members and Assciate Members f the Mvement registered in the Scut District and including Members f District Scut Active Supprt Units, all parents f Explrer Scuts, persns elected r reselected annually by the District Scut Cuncil n the recmmendatin f the District Cmmissiner and the District Executive Cmmittee. The Cunty Cmmissiner and Cunty Chairman are ex ffici members f the District Scut Cuncil. 3. Cessatin f Membership Membership f the District Scut Cuncil ceases upn the resignatin f the member, the disslutin f the Cuncil r the terminatin f membership by Headquarters fllwing a recmmendatin by the Cunty Executive Cmmittee. 4. Duties and respnsibilities f the District Scut Cuncil The District Scut Cuncil will hld their Annual General Meeting within six mnths f the financial year end t: receive and cnsider the Annual Reprt f the District Executive Cmmittee, (including the annual statement f accunts) apprve the District Cmmissiner s nminatin f the District Chairman. elect a District Secretary elect a District Treasurer elect certain members f the District Executive Cmmittee elect Grup Scuters t represent the District n the Cunty Scut Cuncil apprve the District Cmmissiner s nminatin f members t the District Executive Cmmittee appint an auditr r independent examiner r scrutineer as required. 5. Management f the Scut District Every Scut District is an autnmus rganisatin hlding its prperty and equipment and admitting peple t membership f the Scut District subject t the plicy and rules f The Scut Assciatin. The Scut District is led by the District Cmmissiner, supprted by the District Executive Page 3 f 9

4 Cmmittee. They are accuntable t the District Scut Cuncil fr the satisfactry running f the District. The District Cmmissiner is assisted and supprted by: the District Team, cmprising the District Explrer Scut Cmmissiner, the Deputy District Cmmissiner, all Assistant District Cmmissiners and District Scuters; Administratrs and Advisrs; The District Scut Cuncil; The District Executive Cmmittee; The District Scut Active Supprt Units. The District Cmmissiner is an ex-ffici member f all Cuncils, Cmmittees and Sub- Cmmittees in the District and may attend all meetings f Cuncils, Cmmittees and Sub- Cmmittees r may nminate a representative t attend. 6. The District Executive Cmmittee The District Executive Cmmittee exists t supprt the District Cmmissiner in meeting the respnsibilities f the appintment and t prvide supprt fr Scut Grups, Explrer Scut Units and any District Scut Netwrk in the District. Members f the District Executive Cmmittee are the charity trustees f the Scut District. Only persns aged 18 and ver may be full vting members f the District Executive Cmmittee. 7. Membership f the District Executive Ex ffici members District Chairman, District Cmmissiner, Deputy District Cmmissiners (if appinted), District Explrer Scut Cmmissiner, District Scut Netwrk Leader, District Treasurer, District Secretary. Nminated members Persns nminated by the District Cmmissiner. The nminatins are subject t apprval at the District Annual General Meeting. Persns nminated need nt be members f the District Scut Cuncil and their number must nt exceed that f the elected members. Elected members All members f the District Scut Cuncil ver the age f 18 are entitled t stand fr electin prviding they have a prpser wh is als a member f the District Scut Cuncil. They are elected at the District Annual General Meeting t serve fr a term f three years and will nt exceed five in number. All members f the District Scut Cuncil will be invited t stand fr electin and any member may d s prviding they have a prpser. If mre peple than there are psitins available wish t stand fr electin then there will be a vte at the District AGM. Each elected member will serve fr n mre than three years befre having t stand fr reelectin. Each Elected member may nly serve tw terms f ffice (each a maximum f 3 years) befre a mandatry ne year break frm serving n the Executive Cmmittee. As 2013 and 2014 will be the first tw years f this rule, ne member (chsen by the drawing f lts) will stand fr reelectin after serving ne year and tw peple (chsen by the drawing f lts) will stand dwn after Page 4 f 9

5 serving tw years. In the event f an elected member resigning befre the cmpletin f their 3 year term, then nminatins will be invited at the next AGM fr a persn fill the psitin fr the remainder f the term. C-pted members The District Executive Cmmittee may c-pt persns at any time t serve until the next AGM, but their number must nt exceed the number f elected members. Right f attendance The Cunty Cmmissiner and the Cunty Chairman have the right f attendance at meetings f the District Executive Cmmittee. 8. Executive Cmmittee Respnsibilities The District Executive Cmmittee is respnsible fr: prmting the develpment f Scuting in the District and arranging fr harmnius cperatin with ther rganisatins; the raising f funds and the administratin f the District s finance and prperty, including Explrer Scut Units any District Scut Netwrk and District Scut Active Supprt Units; appinting a District Appintments Advisry Cmmittee, Appintments Chair and Appintments Secretary; appinting ther sub-cmmittees and their chairmen as the Cmmittee may require; supervising the administratin f Grups, particularly in relatin t finance and the trusteeship f prperty; The lcal management f the Safety Plicy; attending t District administratin, particularly the administratin f: matters relating t Leader, Manager and Supprter appintments; the appintment f Sectin Assistants and Skills Instructrs, Administratrs and Advisers; registratins, membership f the Mvement, appinting an Assistant Secretary as Badge Secretary fr the District; the presentatin f an Annual Reprt and annual statement f accunts t the Annual General Meeting f the District Scut Cuncil. land and prperty belnging t the District. The District Executive Cmmittee may decide t delegate authrity n specified matters t specific members f the cmmittee. Any such delegatin f authrity will be recrded in the minutes f the relevant District Executive Cmmittee meeting and will autmatically lapse upn the date n the District Annual General Meeting. 9. Sub Cmmittees Page 5 f 9

6 The District Executive Cmmittee may establish any sub-cmmittee that it deems necessary. Sub cmmittees will cnsist f members apprved by the Executive Cmmittee. The Chairman and Secretary f each sub-cmmittee will be nminated by the District Cmmissiner, in cnsultatin with the District Chairman, and apprved by the District Executive. The District Cmmissiner and District Chairman will be ex-ffici members f any sub-cmmittee. Any fund raising subcmmittee must include at least tw members f the District Executive Cmmittee, in additin t the ex-ffici members. Membership f all sub-cmmittees lapses upn the date f the District Scut Cuncil Annual General Meeting. Sub-cmmittee members are reappinted at the first District Executive Cmmittee fllwing the District Scut Cuncil Annual General Meeting. The District Treasurer is an ex-ffici member f all cmmittees and sub-cmmittees dealing with finance within the District 10. The District Appintments Advisry Cmmittee The District Appintments Sub-cmmittee is a mandatry sub-cmmittee f the District Executive cmmittee. The Chairman and Secretary f the District Appintments sub-cmmittee will be nminated by the District Cmmissiner, in cnsultatin with the District Chairman, and apprved by the District Executive Cmmittee. The Appintments Advisry Cmmittee is respnsible fr the fllwing areas: interviewing candidates and apprving appintments (including new appintments and changes in appintment); prviding advice t the Cmmissiner n the utcme f suspensin f membership fr an adult appintment; when requested prviding advice t the Cmmissiner n the actin t take in the event that an adverse criminal recrd check is received; prviding advice t the Cmmissiner n the renewal f appintments; taking part in the reslutin f cmplaints frm applicants regarding the utcme f the appintment prcess; and cnsidering tgether with the Cmmissiner recmmendatins t cancel appintments as a result f disagreements between adults 11. The Rle f Administratrs and Advisers in the Scut District. The District President is an hnrary psitin, created at the discretin f the District Scut Cuncil. The District President has n vting rights by virtue f his/her psitin. Vice-Presidents are hnrary psitins, created at the discretin f the District Scut Cuncil. Vice Presidents have n vting rights by virtue f their psitin The District Chairman must be able t wrk in partnership with the District Cmmissiner. The District Chairman is nminated by the District Cmmissiner and the appintment is apprved by the District Scut Cuncil at its Annual General Meeting. The duties f the District Chairman are t include the chairmanship f the District Scut Cuncil and the District Executive Cmmittee and t prmte their effective wrking, t wrk clsely with the District Cmmissiner in encuraging the develpment f Scuting in the District, t maintain cntact with all Grup Chairmen in the District and t prmte and encurage the effective wrking f their Cuncils and Cmmittees. The District Chairman is an ex-ffici member f all Cuncils, Cmmittees and Sub-Cmmittees in the District and may attend all meetings f Executive Cmmittees and Cuncils r may nminate a representative t attend. The appintment f Page 6 f 9

7 District Chairman be cmbined with that f District Treasurer r District Secretary and may nt be held by a Leader, Manager r Supprter The District Secretary may either be elected by the District Scut Cuncil at its Annual General Meeting r may be emplyed by the District Executive Cmmittee, which will make the appintment in cnsultatin with the District Cmmissiner. The duties f the District Secretary are t include Secretary f the District Scut Cuncil and the District Executive Cmmittee and t perfrm all ther duties specified fr District Secretaries as prescribed frm time t time in POR. The appintment f District Secretary may nt be cmbined with that f District Treasurer r District Chairman and may nt be held by a Leader, Manager r Supprter. The District Treasurer is elected by the District Scut Cuncil at its Annual General Meeting. The duties f the District Treasurer include advising the District Executive Cmmittee n all matters affecting financial cntrl and t draw up an annual budget; t receive all mnies n behalf f the District Executive Cmmittee; t keep accunt f all funds and t make payments as authrised by the District Executive Cmmittee; if the District Executive Cmmittee s decides, t set up and maintain District Finance and Fund Raising sub cmmittees in cnsultatin with the District Executive Cmmittee and t invest accumulated funds in accrdance with the Rule n Investment and t perfrm all ther duties specified fr District Treasurers. The appintment f District Treasurer may nt be cmbined with that f District Chairman r District Secretary and may nt held by a Leader, Manager r Supprter. Other Administratrs may be appinted by the District Executive Cmmittee with the apprval f the District Cmmissiner. District Administratrs may be emplyed by the District Executive Cmmittee and paid a salary ut f District Funds. The District Executive Cmmittee must seek the apprval f the District Cmmissiner in making such appintments. Advice shuld be sught with regard t pensin scheme facilities, cnditins f emplyment, taxatin and Natinal Insurance requirements. District Advisers are appinted by the Executive Cmmittee with the apprval f the District Cmmissiner. 12. Cnduct f Meetings in the Scut District Fr meetings f the District Scut Cuncil, the District Executive Cmmittee and its Subcmmittees, seven days ntice f meeting in writing must be given t all persns entitled t attend. This requirement may be waived in exceptinal circumstances by the District Cmmissiner in cnsultatin with the apprpriate meeting Chairman. Shuld, fr any reasn, the District Cmmissiner r the District Chairman be incapacitated and unable t nminate a replacement, the Cunty Cmmissiner shall nminate a replacement. In meetings f the District Scut Cuncil and the District Executive Cmmittee nly the members specified by the cnstitutin may vte. Decisins are made by a majrity f vtes by thse present at the meeting. In the event f an equal number f vtes being cast n either side n any issue the Chairman des nt have a casting vte and the matter is taken nt t have been carried. The qurum fr the meetings f the Cuncil, the District Executive Meeting and the Sub Cmmittees is as fllws: District Scut Cuncil - 30 vting members District Executive Cmmittee 5 vting members including either the District Chairman r the District Cmmissiner. District Appintments Advisry Cmmittee 3 members including the Cmmittee Chairman r his/her nminee. Other District Sub-Cmmittees - 50% f vting members including the Sub-Cmmittee Chairman r his/her nminee. Page 7 f 9

8 This may be varied frm time t time by reslutin in the District Scut Cuncil. 13. The District Scut Active Supprt Units The District Cmmissiner, in cnsultatin with the District Executive Cmmittee may frm District Scut Active Supprt Units. The purpse f the District Scut Active Supprt Unit is t prvide active supprt t Scuting in the District, as identified in the service agreement. Membership f District Scut Active Supprt Units is pen t any persn aged 18 and ver, including thse hlding appintments, wh will be expected t give pririty t the duties f their appintments. All members f a District Scut Active Supprt Unit must be at least Assciate Members f the Scut Assciatin. 14. Explrer Scut Units Explrer Scut Units are nt autnmus rganisatins. They are part f the Scut District which acts as an Explrer Unit s parent bdy. The pening and clsing f Explrer Scut Units is the respnsibility f the District Cmmissiner in cnsultatin with the District Explrer Scut Cmmissiner, District Executive Cmmittee and Grup Scut Leaders. The Explrer Scut Sectin is led by the District Explrer Scut Cmmissiner with the supprt f the District Cmmissiner and District Executive Cmmittee. The District Executive Cmmittee is respnsible fr: the maintenance f any prperty belnging t Explrer Scut Units; the raising f funds and the administratin f the sectin s finance; the insurance f persns, prperty and equipment; assisting with the recruitment f leaders and ther adult supprt. 15. Scut District Netwrks Scut District Netwrks are nt autnmus rganisatins. They are part f the Scut District which acts as a District Netwrk s parent bdy. The pening and clsing f Scut District Netwrks is the respnsibility f the District Cmmissiner in cnsultatin with the Cunty Scut Netwrk Cmmissiner and the District Executive Cmmittee. The Explrer Scut Sectin is led by the District Scut Netwrk Leader with the supprt f the District Cmmissiner and District Executive Cmmittee. The District Executive Cmmittee is respnsible fr: the maintenance f any prperty belnging t District Scut Netwrks; the raising f funds and the administratin f the sectin s finance; the insurance f persns, prperty and equipment; assisting with the recruitment f leaders and ther adult supprt. 16. Dispsal f assets upn cessatin f the District. Upn the cessatin f a Scut District, assets are dispsed f, under the supervisin f Scut Cunty Headquarters, in the fllwing manner: Upn clsure, any assets after clsure autmatically pass t the Cunty Scut Cuncil. Upn amalgamatin with anther Scut District, assets pass t the newly frmed District. Upn splitting f the District int tw r mre Districts, the assets will be divided int prprtins Page 8 f 9

9 apprximately represented by the Scut ppulatins f each part after splitting and transferred t the newly frmed districts. 17. Amendments t the cnstitutin This District Cnstitutin may nly be amended at a special meeting f the District Scut Cuncil. Amendments t the District Cnstitutin must be prpsed by either the District Executive Cmmittee r by 20 eligible vting members f the District Scut Cuncil. 28 days ntice f any prpsed amendments t the District Cnstitutin must be given in writing t the District Secretary in advance f a District Scut Cuncil meeting wh will then distribute cpies f the prpsed amendments t members f the District Scut Cuncil at least 14 days prir t the date f the meeting. Page 9 f 9