Suspension of Membership is a neutral act intended to protect all persons involved. It assists to ensure that any investigation or inquiry proceeds in as fair and objective a manner as possible. It aims to prevent situations arising which might give rise to further concerns or allegations which could potentially cause further compromise.
Suspension may be necessary in the following circumstances:
- when the relevant commissioner has decided that mutually agreed restrictions are not appropriate
- when an allegation of a serious criminal offence is made against a connected person. Suspensions in these circumstances must last until all police enquiries or legal proceedings have ended
- when a dispute between adults is unresolved 30 days after formal notification of the dispute to the relevant Trustee Board. Suspension periods in this case must be less than 90 days, although there may be multiple consecutive suspension periods
- where the deliberate action or inaction of a connected person could lead to serious reputational harm
- where the action of a connected person may form gross misconduct
- if a member or associate member formally challenges the decisions or policy of a local Scout Unit or The Scout Association in public to a non-scouting body, seeking to change or overturn the decision or policy
- where a criminal records check is required as shown in the roles table, and 30 days has elapsed with no valid disclosure
- has not completed the required learning in the roles table, within the timescales mandated in the roles table.