Message from the Chair of the 115th Fife Scout Group Trustee Board
Hello everyone, I hope you have all had a relaxing summer and are looking forward to the start of a new term of Scouting with everyone at the 115th!
This is just a short message from me to invite you all to our Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday 17th September at the Scout Hall, 44 Chapel Rd, Kirkcaldy, KY2 6TT.
This meeting will last around an hour, review the year gone by, examine our financial accounts, and re-elect all Trustee Board officials, a mandatory requirement for any Scottish charity.
As such, I thought it might be nice to let you know what our trustee board does and the criteria surrounding the roles that require to be elected at the AGM. We have 4 roles to be filled, and you are welcome to apply for any of these roles. Please have a read and see if you would like to help us!
So, what is a Trustee Board?
The 115th Fife Scout Group Trustee Board is a team of local volunteers who work together as charity trustees to make sure our Scout Group is run safely and legally. Trustee Board governance helps our uniformed volunteers deliver fantastic programmes that give your young people skills for life.
At the AGM, both the Chair and Treasurer roles are subject to election and this must be done in a fair and transparent way. At the same time, we also elect a number of trustees to assist with the governance of the board for the following year.
That’s where you come in. If you are interested in applying for any of the roles below, please email us at 115thfife@gmail.com marking the SUBJECT LINE with the vacancy role in question:
1) Trustee Board Chair role
You will lead our Trustee Board, ensuring we comply with all relevant OSCR legislation & Scouting UK rules.
Ensure the Scout Hall is properly insured and maintained in a safe and secure way for our young people and leaders alike.
Lead our quarterly Trustee Board meetings and the Annual General Meeting
Work with the Group Lead Volunteer (formerly known as the Group Scout Leader) to ensure everything is in place for a successful 115thScout Group
Support recruitment for new trustees, ensuring we get a diverse input of views to drive the group forward.
2) Treasurer role
In charge of all our finances here at the 115th ensuring we manage our funds appropriately
Compiles Trustee Board account updates and prepares the annual accounts for the AGM.
Ensures that the annual accounts are independently examined, in line with OSCR requirements.
Ensures the 115th has sufficient resources available to meet the agreed-upon & planned work of the group.
Ensures the group pays all authorised receipts in a timely manner.
No previous experience of scouting is required
3) Trustee role
Although the title makes it sound very formal, it is not like that at all - our board is made up of people like you! All our board members have different skills to offer, come from different backgrounds and have varying experiences. This all helps to ensure a variety of perspectives and a more rounded team.
No previous experience of Scouting is necessary. What is more important are your own skills and experience, as well as empathy with our mission and values. We provide a warm welcome, a sociable network, and some short online learning to help you get started, as well as lots of ongoing support.
4) Minute-taker role
This is not a trustee role but works with the Chair to provide a written record of the trustee board meeting.
As you may know, it is so important, at any meeting, to capture what was discussed, what we have decided to do, and who is going to do it - memories are unreliable! Minutes also keep members of the group who weren't able to attend a meeting informed about what went on.
The basic tasks for the minute-taker are:
Taking notes during the trustee meetings, then typing them out for review with the Chair
Copying and distributing them to the relevant people, including those that were unable to attend.
Keeping all minutes together for future reference
No previous experience of scouting is required
So, if you are interested in any of the roles or have any further questions, please contact us at 115thfife@gmail.com and we hope to see you at the AGM!
Ian McIntyre
Chair, 115th Fife Scout Group Trustee Board
