Census – Useful tips

Passwords for the 2024 Census have now been sent out.  If you are a Line Manager and are expecting a password but haven’t received it please let me know immediately.

Each year around 20% of the Census forms submitted to us are wrong!  Sometimes incomplete, wrong information provided because the question asked hasn’t been read properly, and Section Returns not approved by the GSL are amongst a selection of mistakes.  Time constraints this year mean that we will not have time to chase up and have corrected such errors, so here are a few tips that we hope are useful in preventing mistakes being made.

Have your numbers ready to enter at any time from the 20^th December, when you can access the website at: https://census.scouts.org.uk/

Section returns (Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs & Scouts):

Leadership Team – Young People.  Please ensure that you differentiate between Young Leaders (EYLs) registered as such and any other 14 – 17 year olds (e.g. DofE etc).  Please remember to send the names of all of your Explorer Young Leaders and the details of their Explorer Unit to the DESC (Kevin Munday – explorers@barnetscouts.com).  The number of names given must tally with the total number on your Return!  In cases where the same EYL helps in more than one Section, the DESC will sort that out when all the names have been provided.  You should be doing this now please.
 

The Cost of Scouting: –  The amount requested is the ANNUAL subscription charged.  We regularly get given the rate per term instead!

Group Returns:  These can not be completed and submitted until all of the Section Returns have been Approved by the GSL

Support Roles – Other Adults:  This does NOT include Group/Section/District Occasional Helpers.

Partnership Agreements:  If your Group “hosts” an Explorer Unit at your premises, then you should probably have a Partnership Agreement in place. Some completing the Returns in the past have been unaware of such an Agreement being in place! If your ESU haven’t already discussed this with the DESC then you need to do so as soon as possible.

Gift Aid – Treasurers need to check & be able to confirm the answer given as we have had wrong information given in previous years.  Gift Aid can probably be claimed from HMRC, even if you are not registered with the Charity Commission, as every Scout Group operates as a Charity. The category is an Exempt Charity.  See https://www.gov.uk/charities-and-tax/get-recognition for details.

Governance – Constitution:  If you haven’t prepared your own Constitution then the one printed in POR (https://www.scouts.org.uk/por/) becomes yours by default. However, you do need to formally adopt it or your own version at an AGM.  The question is asking if you have FORMALLY ADOPTED a Constitution at an AGM.  If you answer NO then you must ensure that you do adopt one at your next AGM.  This is a Charity Law requirement and part of the update information recently circulated in respect of Trustee Boards – https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/volunteer-experience/volunteering-together/what-this-means-for-you/moving-to-trustee-boards/

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or need some help but do not leave it until the last minute as we really are up against a tight deadline this year.

Best wishes

Clive Hailey

Deputy District Commissioner