Skip to main content

Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Trustees' responsibilities

Trustees' responsibilities

Our Board of Trustees take on several vitally important roles. They’re responsible for preparing our Annual Report and overseeing our financial statements in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Trustees make sure our financial statements give a true and fair view of the status of both the group and the charity. They also monitor incoming resources and the application of Scouts’ resources for the year.

In preparing these financial statements, Trustees must:

  • Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently.
  • Make judgements and estimates that are both reasonable and prudent.
  • State whether they’ve followed applicable accounting standards, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
  • Prepare the financial statements on the ‘going concern’ basis, unless it’s inappropriate to presume the charity will continue in business.

Our Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that show and explain Scouts’ transactions. With reasonable accuracy, these records must disclose the charity’s financial position at any time. They must also help our Trustees make sure our financial statements comply with any applicable charity laws, particularly the Charities Act 2011. The Scout Association meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102 and the Trustees have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on this.

Our Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding Scouts’ assets and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Financial statements for The Scout Association are published on the Scouts website, in accordance with legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements in the United Kingdom. This may vary from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The maintenance and integrity of the Scouts website is the responsibility of our Trustees. Trustees are also responsible for making sure the financial statements on our website are accurate.

Our controls include

  • A strategic and operational plan and budget.
  • Regular consideration by the Board, Finance Committee and Executive Leadership Team of financial results, variances from budget and other (non-financial) performance indicators.
  • The split of authority and sharing of duties. Additionally, the Board, its Committees and the Executive Leadership Team identify and manage risks.
  • The Finance Committee monitors the effectiveness of any external audits.

Trustees believe these internal controls are adequate in providing reasonable assurance against material misstatement or loss.

Jennie Price CBE
Chair