ScoutsCymru is urging Members of the Senedd to make vital changes to the proposed Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill, warning that – as it stands – the Bill could place an unfair burden on volunteers and unintentionally put life-shaping opportunities for young people at risk.
The organisation, which supports thousands of children and young people to take part in affordable outdoor learning and adventure activities, has welcomed recent changes at Stage 1 of the Bill – especially the decision to exempt under-18s from the visitor levy. But with Stage 2 now under way, ScoutsCymru is calling for further common-sense amendments to make sure volunteer-run groups are not caught up in a system designed for tourism.
There are already more than 4,000 young people of all ages on waiting lists hoping to join Scouting in Wales. Adding new administrative requirements for volunteers, risks making it even harder for us to welcome them or run overnight events – at a time when demand to join has never been higher.
“Scout halls are not hotels”
The Bill currently risks treating Scout halls – which exist to deliver education and community activities, not host tourists – as if they were commercial accommodation providers.
“Under the current proposals, volunteers staying overnight with a group of young Scouts in their local hall – to lead the activities and keep them safe – would be classed as a ‘visitor’ and charged the levy,” said Kerrie Gemmill, CEO of ScoutsCymru. “They’re not booking a holiday – they’re leading the activities and supporting the group. Charging volunteers as if they were hotel guests makes no sense.”
ScoutsCymru says the Bill should be updated to clearly state that buildings like Scout halls or community centres, where occasional overnight stays are not the main purpose, are not treated as visitor accommodation.
Administrative demands risk putting off volunteers
ScoutsCymru is also concerned about the administrative burden the Bill could place on volunteers. Even a single overnight stay in a community hall – which might happen once or twice a year – could suddenly involve registering the venue, tracking stays, and processing a payment system for the levy.
In the example of a Cub group staying overnight in the Scouts Hall where two adult volunteers are required to stay for safeguarding reasons, those adults could now face the bureaucracy of registering the hall and submitting a return – all to pay a levy of potentially £1.60.
“This isn’t about avoiding fair taxes – it’s about proportion,” said Gemmill. “We’re talking about people who already give up their evenings and weekends for free. Asking them to set up tax systems for a couple of overnighters a year is unrealistic. It risks putting people off, and that means fewer overnight adventures for young people.”
Call for targeted exemptions
ScoutsCymru is proposing three practical changes:
- Clarity in the law: Make it clear that premises like Scout halls – where the primary purpose is education, not overnight accommodation – are out of scope of the levy.
- Proportionate rules: Recognise that small, volunteer-run groups do not have back- office systems or paid staff. The rules should reflect that reality.
- Targeted exemptions: Introduce a national exemption for charitable, volunteer-led organisations that only host occasional overnight stays as part of youth programmes and activities.
“We’re grateful for the engagement so far.” said Kerrie. “Our aim is simply to make sure it doesn’t unintentionally apply to the wrong groups – especially those run by volunteers, where overnight stays are a small part of a wider youth programme. With a few sensible changes, we can preserve the Bill’s purpose while protecting affordable, accessible experiences for young people, delivered by the people who make them possible.”
