Scout Association of Hong Kong

Home Scouting Policy and Guidelines Constitution

Download full document (in PDF format)

ARTICLE I.	SCOUT ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG
1.	Scout Association of Hong Kong (hereinafter referred to as "the Association") is incorporated under the Scout Association of Hong Kong Ordinance (Chapter 1005 of the Laws of Hong Kong).
2.	The Association is to promote the Scout Movement within the territory of Hong Kong.

ARTICLE II.	AIM AND METHOD
1.	The Aim of the Association is to encourage the physical, mental, social and spiritual development of young people so that they may take a constructive place in society.
2.	The Method of achieving the Aim of the Association is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and the Scout Law and guided by adult leadership.

ARTICLE III.	PRINCIPLES
1.	Membership Membership of the Association shall be voluntary and is open to all persons, irrespective of race, creed, class or sex, who are prepared to observe the Association's principles in their daily lives and to abide by the Scout Promise and the Scout Law.
2.	Religions (a) The Association recognises all religions and expects every Scout to belong to some religious denomination and to understand his duty to his own religion. (b) Every Scout shall show tolerance and respect for the religious convictions of others.
3.	Political Affiliation The Association is not connected with any political body.
4.	Finance The Association depends financially on the contributions of its own members as well as those from the government and the public. Appeals to the government or to the public may be made only with the sanction of the Executive Committee of the Council. The Association also depends financially on the trade or business carried on by the Association at the Scout Centre or any other place and such trade or business including running or hiring of assembly hall, gymnasium, scout shops, hostel, dormitory, canteens, car parks, management of the Scout Centre and to carry on any other business which may seem to the Association capable of being conveniently carried on in connexion with the Association's business and in relation to the Association's trade or business, the Association may enter into agreements for the management or operation of any of the facilities, for hiring out parts of the Centre, or the granting of licences to operators.
5.	External Relations (a) The Association shall promote friendly relations with other organisations having similar aims. (b) The Association is the only Scout organisation in Hong Kong recognised by the World Organization of the Scout Movement and is a Member Organization thereof registered with the World Scout Bureau. It enjoys the rights and privileges of membership and is required to fulfil its obligations.

ARTICLE IV.	CHIEF SCOUT
1.	The Council shall invite the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to assume the post of Chief Scout.
2.	The Council may appoint a Deputy Chief Scout on the recommendation of the Chief Scout.
3.	The functions of the Chief Scout shall be: (a) to foster and encourage the Scout Movement in Hong Kong; and (b) to sign warrants of appointment in the rank of Commissioner.

ARTICLE V.	PRESIDENT, HONORARY PRESIDENTS AND VICE-PRESIDENTS
1.	The President shall be elected by the Council at its Annual General Meeting for a term of one year. He shall be eligible for re-election on the expiry of each term but his total term of office for any continuous period shall not be more than ten consecutive years. The President shall act as the Chairman of the Council at all General Meetings. In his absence, a Vice-President designated by him shall act as the Chairman at such a General Meeting.
2.	Vice-Presidents shall be elected by the Council for a term of one year. They shall be eligible for re-election on the expiry of each term but the total term of office for each Vice-President for any continuous period shall not be more than ten consecutive years.
3.	Honorary Presidents shall be appointed annually by the Council and their term of office shall not be limited.

ARTICLE VI.	THE COUNCIL
The Council is the supreme authority of the Association and is responsible for all the functions of the Association.
1.	Members The Council shall consist of ex officio, co-opted and elected members as described in the "Policy, Organisation and Rules" of the Association.
2.	Election of Officers The Council shall elect the President and Vice-Presidents and appoint Honorary Presidents as provided in Article V. The Chairman of the Executive Committee, one or more Deputy Chairmen of the Executive Committee, the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Association shall be elected by the Council at the Annual General Meeting for a term of one year each. These members shall be eligible for re-election on the expiry of each term, but the total term of office of each of them for any continuous period shall not be more than ten consecutive years. In the event of the Chairman, the Secretary or the Treasurer being absent from office, temporarily or otherwise, the Executive Committee may appoint a person to hold the office for any period as the Executive Committee may decide.
3.	Conduct of Business (a) The Annual General Meeting of the Council shall be held each year in July or as soon as possible thereafter. At the meeting, the Council shall receive the Annual Report of the Association and the audited account, ratify the budget for the current year, elect officers and Council members for the current year, appoint an Executive Committee and the Auditor. The Council may transact any other business admitted by the Chairman of the meeting or raised by not less than one quarter of the members present at the meeting. (b) Except in the case of Article XI, the Secretary shall give not less than fourteen days' notice of a General Meeting of the Council to its members provided that failure on the part of any member to receive such notice shall not invalidate the business of the meeting. (c) At any Meeting of the Council, twenty Members of the Council personally present shall form a quorum. (d) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the President, the Chief Commissioner or the Chairman of the Executive Committee or within three months following a request made in writing by not less than eight members of the Council. (e) At any meeting of the Council each member of the Council personally present shall have one vote. In the case of equality of votes, the Chairman does not have a casting vote and the motion is deemed defeated.

ARTICLE VII.	CHIEF COMMISSIONER, OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND SCOUT LEADERS
1.	The appointment of the Chief Commissioner shall be made by the Chief Scout on the recommendation of a Selection Board. This recommendation shall be submitted through the Executive Committee of the Council for endorsement by the President.
2.	The term of office of the Chief Commissioner shall be for four years. On the expiry of the first term of office, the Chief Commissioner shall be eligible for re-appointment for a second term of four years. His total term of office for any continuous period shall not be more than eight consecutive years.
3.	The Chief Scout may appoint other Commissioners on the recommendation of the Chief Commissioner to execute any functions as the Chief Commissioner may require.
4.	During his temporary absence from office or inability to carry out his functions, the Chief Commissioner may designate a Deputy Chief Commissioner to act on his behalf.
5.	In the event of there being no Chief Commissioner or no Deputy Chief Commissioner having been designated to act as Chief Commissioner as provided in Section 4 hereof, the Chief Scout, in consultation with the President, may select a Deputy Chief Commissioner to act as Chief Commissioner. In the event of there being no Deputy Chief Commissioners, the Chief Scout may likewise appoint one of the other Commissioners to act as Chief Commissioner.
6.	(a) The Chief Commissioner is the principal executive of the Scout Movement in Hong Kong and is responsible for the management and operation of the Association, the supervision of Professional Scouters and Salaried Staff and the execution of the directives and decisions of the Council and its Executive Committee. (b) The Chief Commissioner shall be responsible for the appointment of Leaders, Lay Members and the registration of Units, Groups, establishment of Districts and Regions, and ensuring the good conduct of all Members of the Scout Movement in Hong Kong.

ARTICLE VIII.	THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1.	Between Meetings of the Council, the authorities and responsibilities of the Council in respect of major policy decisions, co-ordination with the Chief Commissioner, control of funds and resources and financial support shall be vested with the Executive Committee which shall meet at least once every three months.
2.	The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairman and not more than two Deputy Chairmen to be elected annually by the Council, and the following members: (a) Ex officio Members: The Secretary; The Treasurer; The Chairman of the Finance Committee; The Chief Commissioner; The Deputy Chief Commissioners; and The Assistant Chief Commissioners. (b) Elected Members: Not more than twenty members to be elected annually by the Council from among its members, with at least one of them aged under thirty.
3.	The first Executive Committee Meeting held after each General Meeting of the Council shall be delegated with the authority to adopt the minutes of the General Meeting.
4.	The quorum for each Meeting of the Executive Committee shall be one-third of its Members personally present.
5.	At any meeting of the Executive Committee, each member personally present shall have one vote. In the case of equality of votes, the Chairman does not have a casting vote and the motion is deemed defeated.
6.	Any vacancy among the elected members may be filled by co-option by the Executive Committee until the next Annual General Meeting.
7.	The Executive Committee may call upon members of the Association to attend its meetings.
8.	The Executive Committee may delegate its powers in relation to control of funds and resources and financial support of the Association to the Finance Committee.
9.	The membership and terms of reference of the Finance Committee shall be determined by the Executive Committee but the Chairman of the Executive Committee and the Treasurer shall serve as members of the Finance Committee.
10.	The Chairman of the Finance Committee shall be appointed annually by the Executive Committee.
11.	The Executive Committee may delegate its powers in relation to approving awards to the Awards Committee of which the President shall be the Chairman. The Awards Committee consists of the following members: Ex officio Members: The President; The Chairman of the Executive Committee; and The Chief Commissioner. Appointed Members: Not more than four members to be appointed by the Executive Committee.
12.	The Executive Committee may constitute and appoint other committees to give advice in respect of specific areas of functions or duties. The terms of reference and rules and procedures governing any such committees shall, at the time of its constitution, be defined by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IX.	ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
1.	The Council shall cause proper books of accounts to be kept of all monies received and expended and of all its assets and liabilities.
2.	The books of accounts shall be kept at the Association Headquarters or such other place as the Council may direct and shall be open to the inspection by any member of the Council on application.
3.	The Council shall have a banking account or accounts and the authorised signatories for each Account shall be approved by the Executive Committee.
4.	The Treasurer shall at each Annual General Meeting lay before the Council a balance sheet as at the previous 31st day of March and an income and expenditure account made up to that date. The Treasurer shall also submit a statement of accounts to the Executive Committee as and when required.
5.	The Auditor shall make a report to the Council on the accounts examined by him and such report shall be attached to the annual balance sheet.

ARTICLE X.	DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
1.	The Association may be dissolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Council, specially convened for that purpose, if not less than that two-thirds of the members of the Council present and voting at such a meeting shall so resolve.
2.	Upon the dissolution of the Association, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any remaining assets shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions, having objects similar to the objects of the Association, and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property amongst its or the members, such institution or institutions to be determined by not less than two-thirds of the members of the Council present before the time of dissolution and in default thereof by a Judge of the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region having jurisdiction in the matter, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to the aforesaid provision then to some charitable object as decided by the Judge of the High Court.

ARTICLE XI.	INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENTS
1.	The interpretation of the provisions of this Constitution shall be vested in the Executive Committee.
2.	Any amendment to this Constitution shall be subject to : (a) a vote in favour by not less than two-thirds of those present at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened specifically for this purpose, provided that the proposed amendment and the notice in writing calling this meeting were sent to all members of the Council at least one month prior to the meeting; and (b) notification to the World Organization of the Scout Movement before ratification.

ARTICLE XII.	POLICY, ORGANISATION AND RULES
1.	The Executive Committee shall issue the "Policy, Organisation and Rules" of the Association and other publications for the effective working of the Association.
2.	Where there is any conflict between the provisions contained in the "Policy, Organisation and Rules" and/or other publications and those in this Constitution, the provisions of this Constitution shall prevail.

Last Updated: July 2023