Scout SuiteHow-to guide
Premises audit
The Scouts' premises audit tool, built in. It asks only the parts that apply to your premises, saves as you go, shows what Scout Suite already knows about each check, and turns every gap into an action someone owns.
Say what the premises are
Under Safety, open Premises Audit and Start an audit. Tick what the premises are, exactly as in Step 1 of the tool: a Group HQ completes Part A and the Part B checks that apply, a hired or shared hall completes Part A only, a campsite Parts A to C, and a residential and activity centre all four parts. Then record who's completing it, the date, the areas inspected, and the responsible Trustee Board and Lead Volunteer.
Districts and counties can audit their own premises too, such as a campsite.
Answer each prompt
Each prompt is answered Y (in place), P (partly), N (no) or N/A, with the process and controls in place and any evidence. Everything saves as you go, so you can work through it with someone else over several sittings, as the Scouts suggest.
Where Scout Suite already holds something relevant, it's shown beside the prompt: your last fire alarm test from the fire log, the gas certificate or EICR and when it expires, incidents in the last year, building risk assessments due a review. It informs your answer; you still give it.
Give every gap an owner
Every P or N needs an action with an owner, a target date and a status: Not started, In progress or Completed. An owner can be one of your adults or someone without a login. An action can also become a Building Maintenance task, or go on the risk register if it's a significant risk the Trustee Board should keep sight of.
Complete it, share it, do it again next year
Write a short summary for each section, then Complete the audit. Download the PDF, laid out like the Scouts' own tool, for your Trustee Board, and review the Open actions list at each board meeting until it's empty. Completing it can add a maintenance task to do the next one in a year, and next year's audit can start from this one: its answers carry forward, and unfinished actions move across.
Safety & HQ
More in this topic
Risk, incidents, GDPR, the building, and the kit in it.