Group Expense Policy

Members of the Trustee Board, Section Teams, and Helpers are not expected to pay for any expenses out of their own pocket while supporting Group activities. All costs should be managed through the appropriate group budget and approval process.

Only Team Leaders, and only if acting in accordance with this policy, are authorised to commit and spend funds on behalf of the Group. No other members are permitted to incur expenses. The Group expressly reserves the right to refuse reimbursement of any expense claims that:

• fall outside this policy;
• were not pre-approved where required;
• or were made by individuals not authorised to do so.

All members are expected to seek clarification from the Group Lead Volunteer or Treasurer before incurring any expenditure if uncertain. A summary is as followed:

• Section Team Leaders may spend up to £750 per year (£250 per term) on low-cost weekly items (e.g., crafts, printing, cooking).

• Claims must be submitted in the same term or within 3 months of the expense.

• Badge orders are covered separately under the group’s badge budget and should be coordinated to reduce postage.

• Equipment or service costs over £250 require approval from the Trustee Board; up to £250 may be approved by the Group Lead Volunteer.

• Camps and events must have a designated organiser with estimated budgets. For events costing more than £1,000, prior approval from the Group Lead Volunteer and Chair is mandatory.

• All invoices should be made out to the 41st Epping Forest Scout Group and sent to the Treasurer.

General Expenses for Sections

Each Section Team Leader of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers is allowed to buy low-cost items to support weekly meetings throughout the year. The Trustee Board has approved an annual budget of up to £750 per section, without needing extra approval. This should be spread across the year at £250 per term, to help keep the group’s finances balanced.

Team Leaders are responsible for managing this budget using Online Scout Manager (OSM) under the Adults (Trustees & Teams) area using the Accountancy Tool (Section Admin > Accountancy Tools). All expense claims must be submitted within the same term the money was spent being Spring, Summer and Autumn, or no later than three months afterwards. This budget is intended for items such as craft materials, printing, cooking ingredients, or subsidising weekly activities such as climbing walls etc. It must not be used to buy equipment or to fund trips and camps.

Regular badge orders do not need specific approval from the Trustee Board, as these are covered by the group’s badge budget and ordered from the Glasgow Scout Shop. However, Team Leaders should coordinate with each other and the Group Lead Volunteer to place batch orders where possible, helping to reduce postage costs.

Equipment, Services and Capital Expenditure 

Approval for significant expenditures, such as those related to equipment, clothing, or services, must be sought from the Group Lead Volunteer initially. The Group Lead Volunteer has the authority to approve equipment purchases of up to £250. Any purchases exceeding this amount will necessitate approval from the Trustee Board before expenditure. In regular situations, consensus should be reached during a Trustee Board meeting and documented in the minutes. In exceptional cases, approval can be secured via email with the agreement of the Chair, Treasurer, and Group Lead Volunteer.

Camps and Events

Any planned event, including camps and events, should be overseen by a designated organiser, typically the Event Team Leader or Group Lead Volunteer. The camp or event leader is responsible for documenting the estimated income and expenditure for the event. All expenses related to the event should be claimed through the usual process. Invoices for items requiring direct payment should be addressed to the 41st Epping Forest Scout Group and forwarded to the Treasurer for processing. For significant camps, trips, and events surpassing £1,000, approval from the Group Lead Volunteer and Chair should be obtained before making any payments.

Last updated on Wednesday 2 July 2025