Organisation

1.1              General

The Avon County Scout Executive acting on behalf of the Avon County Scout Council (“the Council”) and led by the County Chairman (who is nominated by the County Commissioner and approved by the Council), has ultimate responsibility for the conduct of all business and activities conducted by Avon County Scouts. They are constituted as laid down by the Scout Association’s Rules (“POR” - Policy Organisation and Rules). All members of the executive are Trustees within the meaning of the Charities Act. A full current list of these is available from the county office.

For most activities in relation to the young people who are members of The Scout Association, these responsibilities are delegated to the County Commissioner. He in turn delegates responsibilities to, inter alia, Assistant County Commissioners and District Commissioners.

All County and other scouting activities are bound by the rules of The Scout Association (“POR”). In particular the Association’s Safety Policy and the responsibilities thereto are as laid out in rule 2.3 of POR

The County is responsible only for the business and activities generated by the County.  Districts are separate organisations responsible for their own conduct.  The County will however, encourage, support and monitor the performance of Districts against the standards as laid down in POR and the Council’s Health & Safety Policy.

In accordance with POR Rule 2.3d, Avon County Scout Executive will appoint a Safety Coordinator to assist it in the discharge of its Health & Safety responsibilities. The Safety Coordinator will be a full member of the executive, and is charged with coordinating and promoting the health and safety efforts of the County. He/she has a responsibility to bring to the executive’s attention any deficiencies in the health and safety arrangements of the County that he/she is aware of.

1.2              Responsibilities

The business and activities of Avon County Scout Council is split into distinct risk areas each with a designated person, or in some cases a committee, responsible for the health and safety of that part of the County’s activities.  The running of Woodhouse Park and the County Office are the responsibility of the Executive Committee. All other matters are the delegated responsibility of the County Commissioner, who in turn delegates responsibilities to appropriate individuals as laid out below. They are each charged with ensuring that there are appropriate risk assessments and procedures documented and complied with to ensure the health and safety of those within their control as laid out in the Council’s Health & Safety policy.

Woodhouse Park
This is the County Activities centre, located at Almondsbury, South Gloucestershire. All business and activities on site, with the exception of the running of the County Office are the responsibility of the Woodhouse Park Management Committee, under the Chairmanship of a member of the County Scout Executive.  The day to day running of the site is the responsibility of the full time warden under the instructions of the Chair of the Woodhouse Park Management Committee.

County Office
The County Office is controlled by the County Secretary who is elected annually by the Council and is thereby an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee. The County Secretary is responsible for all matters in relation to Health & Safety within the County Office, along with the paid and volunteer staff who work there.

The Benjamin Perry (BP) Boat House Water Activities Centre
The ‘BP’ Boat House is the County Water Activities centre, operating from leased premises (Bristol City Council) at Redcliffe Wharf, Bristol. This is a joint Scout and Guide organisation and is jointly chaired by persons nominated by the respective County Commissioners of those bodies.  All on-site business and activities, are the immediate responsibility of the BP Boat House Management Committee.

County Activities
Subject to the overall and over-riding authority of the County Commissioner:

   -  Scout Fellowship – all activities carried out by the Avon Scout Fellowship is the responsibility of the ACC Scout Fellowship (or other person deputed by the County Commissioner).

   -  Training Sections – all County activities carried out by and within the Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts, and Explorer Scouts sections are the responsibility of the respective Assistant County Commissioners and in case of the Scout Network, the Scout Network Commissioner.

   -  Training Courses – all County training courses are the responsibility of the County Training Manager.

   -  Jamboree and International Camps – When any such activities are authorised by the County Commissioner and the County Executive, he / she will appoint an appropriate person to be in overall charge of the event, including having specific responsibility for all matters of health and safety.

   -  Gang Show – When any such event is authorised by the County Commissioner and the County Executive, he / she will appoint an appropriate person to be in overall charge of the event, including having specific responsibility for all matters of health and safety.

   -  Adventurous Activities – All such activities carried out on behalf of the County are the responsibility of the ACC Activities. He / she will ensure that these are carried out in compliance with POR and any other such procedures he/she lays down to ensure the health and safety of the participants.

   -  Child Protection – All maters in relation to child protection are carried out as laid down in POR.

1.3              Health & Safety – agendas at meetings

Health and Safety is a standing agenda item on all Executive meetings. Under this item the Safety Co-ordinator or any other member of the executive may raise any issue in relation to the Health & Safety arrangements in place.

1.4              Consultation, information and training arrangements

The small number of paid staff Avon County Executive employ, report to either the Woodhouse Park Management Committee Chairman or the County Secretary who are respectively charged with ensuring that all relevant staff are fully consulted on matters relating to their health and safety.

Full information and/or training will be provided in relation to the work they carry out, where it is identified as necessary for the health and safety of the individual or others.

Records of all such consultation, information and training will be kept.

Where any staff member feels that the relevant authority is not adequately discharging these duties they should, following communication on the matter with the relevant authority, bring this to the notice either the County Chairman or the County Commissioner for the attention of the County Executive Committee.