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Register, open, change, merge or close a Group, a District or a County

4d.3.1 Registration and planning

4d.3.1.1 Registration forms
The opening, changing, merging or closing of a Group, District or County requires change to the charities that form the Federation.  

This therefore requires more formality in the process. The forms required for registering, changing, moving or closing Groups or Districts may be found at Registration Forms.

Use:

  1. Form C to register a new Group or District
  2. Form C2 to change: 
    1. a Group or District’s name or meeting place 
    2. a Group Sponsoring Authority 
    3. a Group’s type 
  3. Form C3 to move a Group to another District
  4. Form C4 to close a Group or a District
  5. Form C5 to amalgamate (merge) Groups or Districts  

Email completed forms to [email protected].

To open or close a Squirrel, Beaver, Cub, Scout section see POR 4d.2.1.

To open or close an Explorer section see POR 4d.2.2.

4d.3.1.2 Boundary changes 
There is information available to support Implementing Boundary Changes.

It is important to note that when a Boundary Review is initiated by a County Lead Volunteer, it forms part of an exploratory process to assess potential options. The resulting report is used to inform both the County Lead Volunteer and the County Trustee Board about the possible options.  

Any agreed restructuring is subsequently implemented using the processes set out in POR 4d.3.2. 

4d.3.1.3 Registration of Sea Scout Groups and Air Scout Groups 
Groups in which a Troop is a Sea Scout Troop or an Air Scout Troop may use the title Sea Scout Group or Air Scout Group respectively as appropriate. 

4d.3.2 Groups and Districts

4d.3.2.1 To open and register a new Group or District 
Before registering a new Group or District, the District or County ([NI] Country) Lead Volunteer and the District or County Trustee Board (as appropriate) must both be satisfied that:

  1. registration is desirable
  2. the proposed Group or District will be run properly
  3. suitable leaders can be found

In the case of a Sponsored Group, this agreement must also include consultation with the Sponsoring Authority.

If either or both of the District Lead Volunteer and the District Trustee Board refuse to recommend the registration of a Group, the District Lead Volunteer must send a full report to the appropriate Country Headquarters, with a copy to the County Lead Volunteer.

If either or both of the County Lead Volunteer and the County Trustee Board refuse to recommend the registration of a District, the County Lead Volunteer must send a full report to the appropriate Country Headquarters.

4d.3.2.2 To merge two or more Groups 
The District Lead Volunteer may merge one or more Group(s) following: 

  1. consultation with the affected Group Lead Volunteers.  
  2. consultation with the sponsoring authority (if any) 
  3. subsequent agreement by the District Trustee Board to a resolution proposed by the District Lead Volunteer to merge the Group(s) 

See POR 4d.3.2.5 where this action leads to a Group(s) needing to be closed to enable the merger.

It is important that the merger is created as a true merger, rather than as a take over of one Group by another. The Volunteering Culture statement (POR Chapter 2c) provides a useful planning framework for creating a successful merger.

Any closure or opening of Group(s) as a result of the merger must be recorded on the membership system. 

4d.3.2.3 To merge two or more Districts 
The County Lead Volunteer may merge one or more Districts(s) following: 

  1. consultation with the affected District Lead Volunteers.  
  2. subsequent agreement by the County Trustee Board to a resolution proposed by the County Lead Volunteer to merge the District(s) 

See POR 4d.3.2.6 where this action leads to a District(s) needing to be closed to enable the merger.

It is important that the merger is created as a true merger, rather than as a take over of one District by another. The Volunteering Culture statement (POR Chapter 2c) provides a useful planning framework for creating a successful merger.

Any closure or opening of Districts(s) as a result of the merger must be recorded on the membership system. 

4d.3.2.4 To move a Group to another District

  1. A decision to move a Group from one District to another District must be approved by the District Lead Volunteers for both Districts.
  2. Each District Lead Volunteer’s approval to move a Group may only be given following:
    1. consultation with their District Trustee Board
    2. if the proposed receiving District is part of a different County, consultation with the County Lead Volunteers for both Counties
    3. subsequent agreement by their District Trustee Board to a resolution proposed by the District Lead Volunteer to move the Group
  3. Before a District Lead Volunteer’s formal consultation with the relevant District Trustee Board:
    1. an assessment of the impact of the change must be undertaken jointly by the Group Lead Volunteer and both District Lead Volunteers. This assessment must address all identified risks, including the potential impact on:
      • any partnered Explorer Units
      • the adult members of the Group 
      • parents and young people currently in the Group
      • the reputation of Scouts in the Group’s and both Districts’ local areas
    2. all adults appointed within the Group (including the members of the Group Trustee Board, and any Sponsoring Authority) must have the opportunity to present their views to both District Lead Volunteers and members of both District Trustee Boards
  4. A Group may only move to another District if geographic integrity is maintained. This means that:
    1. Districts must retain clear and sensible geographic boundaries
    2. A Group located in the middle of a District cannot transfer to another District
    3. A Group near a District boundary may only transfer to an adjacent District across that boundary
  5. a Group cannot transfer from The Scout Association to any other body whether calling itself a Scout organisation or by any other name.
  6. If the change is approved, then Form C3 (see POR 4d.3.1.1) must be completed and fully processed before the transfer can take effect.

4d.3.2.5 To close a Group 

  1. The District Lead Volunteer may recommend closure of a Group after consultation with the District Trustee Board.   
    As part of that process, all adults appointed within the Group (including all members of the Group Trustee Board, and the Sponsoring Authority, if any) must have the opportunity to present their views to the District Lead Volunteer and the District Trustee Board. 
  2. When the registration of a Group is cancelled the Group ceases to exist and action must be taken as described in POR Chapters 5a and 5e to deal with its property and assets.  
  3. a Group is not permitted to transfer from The Scout Association to any other body whether calling itself a Scout organisation or by any other name.
  4. Individual or several members of a Group may leave and join any other organisation they wish. The Group itself and all its assets remain part of The Scout Association whose parent body is incorporated by Royal Charter.  
  5. In the event of all the members leaving, the District must close the Group and cancel its registration. 
    In the event that not all the members leave, it must be a decision for the District Lead Volunteer and District Trustee Board as to whether to close the Group or keep it running with a reduced membership.  

4d.3.2.6 To close a District 

  1. The County ([NI] Country) Lead Volunteer may recommend closure of a District after agreement with the County ([NI] Country) Trustee Board.   
    As part of that agreement process, the District Lead Volunteer and District Chair must have the opportunity to present their views to the County ([NI] Country) Lead Volunteer and the County ([NI] Country) Trustee Board. 
  2. When the registration of a District is cancelled, the District ceases to exist and action must be taken as described in POR Chapters 5a and 5e to deal with its property and assets.  
  3. a District is not permitted to transfer from The Scout Association to any other body whether calling itself a Scout organisation or by any other name. 
  4. Individual or several members of a District may leave and join any other organisation they wish. The District itself and all its assets remain part of The Scout Association whose parent body is incorporated by Royal Charter.  
  5. In the event of all the members leaving, the County must close the District and cancel its registration.  
  6. In the event that not all the members leave, it must be a decision for the County Lead Volunteer and County Trustee Board as to whether to close the District or keep it running with a reduced membership.

4d.3.3 To close a County 

([NI] this does not apply in Northern Ireland)

  1. The relevant Chief Volunteer may recommend closure of a County after agreement with the most senior relevant Country Committee. 
    As part of that agreement process, the County Lead Volunteer and County Chair must have the opportunity to present their views to the Chief Volunteer and the most senior relevant Country Committee. 
  2. When the registration of a County is cancelled the County ceases to exist and action must be taken as described in POR Chapters 5a and 5e to deal with its property and assets.  
  3. a County is not permitted to transfer from The Scout Association to any other body whether calling itself a Scout organisation or by any other name. 
  4. Individual or several members of a County may leave and join any other organisation they wish. The County itself and all its assets remain part of The Scout Association whose parent body is incorporated by Royal Charter.  
  5. In the event of all the members leaving, the Country Headquarters must close the County and cancel its registration.  
  6. In the event that not all the members leave, it must be a decision for the Chief Volunteer and the most senior relevant Country Committee as to whether to close the County or keep it running with a reduced membership.