Implementing Boundary Changes

Implementation

Once a decision has been made to change boundaries a clear change process needs to be devised and implemented. The details of the process will depend upon the nature of the boundary changes involved. In all cases, the rules governing the specific changes can be found in Policy Organisation and Rules.

Ultimately the County/Area/Regional Trustee Board decides how Districts are organised within any County/Area/Region.

District boundary changes

There are two ways in which District boundaries may be changed; merger or closure. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages however in either case the outcome is the same.

If two (or more) Districts are to be merged, one District takes over the other. The District remaining incorporates the funds and assets of the closing District and the closing District is wound up both as a Scout District and as a charity. The main drawback of this method is that since the merger is a takeover, one District may be perceived as being the “winner” and the other the “loser”. It can be difficult to deal with the sensitivities of Members involved in the merger. In summary, the merger process is easier at a practical level but more difficult to achieve without an emotional impact.

The alternative is to close the current Districts and to open a new District to cover the same geographical area. In this case the original Districts need to be closed (both as Scout entities and as charities), and new District(s) should be opened (both within Scouts and as charities). The disadvantage of this method is that it is procedurally more complex than a merger, for example in this case finances from the original Districts should be transferred to the County/Area/Region who then gives them to the new District as appropriate. The advantage of this approach is that all of the original Districts are treated equally and so it is emotionally easier to achieve.

County/Area/Regional boundary changes

The process to change a County/Area/Regional border is different to that of Districts. The decision to change County/Area/Regional borders rests with the Trustee Board of The Scout Association. In these cases the County/Area/Region concerned should present a paper to the Strategy and Delivery Committee. Advice must be sought from the Governance Team at Gilwell Park or the relevant Country HQ.

The Change Process

There are many resources available which discuss the theory and implementation of change management. This factsheet suggests six key areas for consideration when devising your plan for change.

The key areas for consideration are:

• Decision-making
• Procedural Requirements
• Financial Matters
• Change Process
• Appointment of key volunteers
• Communication