Agreement reached for First Newton Aycliffe Scout Group to return to the Scout Hut
In response to significant public concerns, following a decision by the Newton Aycliffe Scout Supporters Association Committee (NASSA) to bar the Newton Aycliffe First Scout Group from using the Scout Hut building, the Town Council agreed to discuss and debate the issue at its Policy and Resources Committee Meeting on Wednesday 13th September, with a view to determining how the Town Council could help to resolve the situation.
This issue has caused understandable concern amongst the local community and a strong public will to see the decision reversed.
A considerable number of members of the public and representatives from the Newton Aycliffe scouts groups turned out at the meeting in support of the scouts.
Ahead of the meeting, the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee; Councillor Arun Chandran and the Town Clerk; Dan Austin held a series of meetings both with representatives of the NASSA Committee who made the decision, and from the Scouts Group, with a view to establishing the facts, determining exactly what had led to the decision, with the aim of trying to find a satisfactory compromise that would see the scouts return to their home.
The Town Clerk reported at the meeting that a compromise solution had been agreed that would see the First Newton Aycliffe Scout Group return to the Scout Hut, subject to a number of conditions.
Further details of the debate at the meeting can be viewed on the Council website via the minutes of the meeting and it is anticipated that the NASSA Committee and First Newton Aycliffe Scout Group will be releasing statements confirming the agreement in due course.
The Town Council is aware that there are still a number of governance and financial management issues to resolve as well as the issue of whether the scouts groups should pay hall hire fees moving forward.
It is our understanding that a Special General Meeting is to be called by Members of the NASSA with a view to discussing and addressing some of these concerns.
The Town Council will continue to monitor the situation and have offered to place a non-voting representative onto the NASSA Committee to assist and provide advice on governance and financial management.
Councillor Chandran commented “The Town Council has always been of the opinion that the primary concern and most important issue was to get the scout group back into their rightful home and hopefully a compromise solution has now been agreed that delivers on that aim”.
Following the debate, the Council agreed the following actions:-
- That the policy of the Council is that at all times, the Scouts Groups must have free and unfettered access to the Scout Hall.
- That the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee and Town Clerk are authorised to monitor the situation closely regarding compliance and represent the Council’s interests at any NASSA Committee or other meetings if so invited.
