Governance

The NCVO has published some useful guidance to help Executive Committees consider how they can best support Scouts locally during this time.

Any charity that needs an extension to their annual return deadline can contact the Charity Commission to ask for one. Please see their guidance here .
 
It also allows decisions to be made electronically. This is valid immediately and will be updated in the next update to POR, in early April.

The wording is as follows:

• Electronic voting (such as email) is allowed for decision making of the County/District/Group Executive Committee and its sub-Committees when deemed appropriate by the Chair. In such instances at least 75% of committee members must approve the decision.
• The County/District/Group Executive Committee & its sub-Committees can meet by telephone conference, video conference as well as face to face in order to discharge its responsibilities when agreed by the appropriate Chair.

All County, District and Group Chairs have been issued with Microsoft 365 accounts, which have Microsoft Teams enabled.

We've received the following advice from the Charity Commission:
"If you feel that in the best interests of your charity and to follow the governments public health guidance it is necessary to cancel or postpone your charity’s AGM (or any other key meeting) that will be fine. You should record the decision you have made to show good governance.

As long as you as a trustee body are satisfied that the decision to not go ahead is in the best interests of the trustees, membership and beneficiaries the Commission will support you in this.

More information can be found here .

The County AGM is due to go ahead on September 27th as a virtual meeting. More information will follow closer to the date.

If you would like some advice or support to hold your own AGM or other event online please visit the Digital Resources page or make a request on the Service Desk .