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Policy, Organisation and Rules

Scouting’s Policy Organisation and Rules (POR) provides support and guidance to help us all run Scouting.

 

POR Amendments July 2023 (updated September 2023)

During Spring 2024, significant changes to volunteering are being introduced. This July 2023 (updated in September 2023) edition of POR applies until the transition date for each County/Area/Region (Scotland)/Branch and its sections, Groups and Districts.

From the date of their transition, the edition of POR that will be published at the end of October 2023 will apply for each County/Area/Region (Scotland)/Branch.

  • This September 2023 update adds to the July 2023 edition of POR in three ways:
    In chapter 4, reformatting of section 4.4 (Ratios) requires some clarifications.  It appeared to have introduced some rule changes but that was not the intention.  Only the wording of 4.4 is amended in this update.
  • There are changes to chapter 9 (Activities) in 9.3 (specifically 9.3.1.3 and 9.3.1.4), 9.5 (9.5.1.3, 9.5.1.4, 9.5.1.5 and 9.5.1.6; also, the removal of 9.5.1.7),and 9.7 (change to 9.7.1.1, addition of new 9.7.1.5 [so all later paragraphs in 9.7 are renumbered], and change to 9.7.1.11 [formerly 9.7.1.10])
  • Change to chapter 15 (Addition of new 15.1.  The other 4 paragraphs in the chapter are renumbered as a consequence.)

 

This July 2023 edition of POR updates the April 2023 edition of POR to reflect a number of changes and improvements.  A complete list of the amendments can be found in the full POR PDF but a summary of the changes is:

  • We are progressively removing the word “Rule” from the headings in the Chapters of POR. The rules themselves are unchanged although some are made clearer by appropriate use of the words must / should / may.  In this July edition it affects chapters 1, 4, 5, 9, 14, 15 and 16.
  • Removal of all cross-references to previous editions of POR
  • Minor wording or style corrections in chapters 1, 5 and 14
  • Addition of Our Volunteering Culture to chapter 3
  • Correction of an incorrect rule number in 4.6.1.1
  • In chapter 5, 5.1.1.1 and 5.5.1.2 are both updated to clarify that Groups, Districts and Counties within the TSA federation of charities are each an unincorporated charity. This is a clarification and not a rule change.
  • Re-ordering of certain AGM elements in 4.3.2(c)
  • Correction of ‘may’ to ‘must’ in 1.3.1, 14.1.3.2, and ‘is required’ to ‘must’ in 14.2.2.10
  • Correction of ‘executive committee’ to ‘trustee board’ in 14.3.4.1.
  • Renaming of chapter 15 as ‘Resolving concerns’, and adding a short section about safeguarding concerns
  • Updating 16.7.2 to clarify requirements regarding helpers

Download POR July 2023 (September Update)