The SATC was created in 1935 as a company limited by guarantee and authorised to hold title to land on behalf of The Scout Association’s Scout units (i.e. Groups, Districts and Counties).
Although the SATC was initiated by The Scout Association and continues to be supported by it (being housed within the association's Legal Services Department), the SATC is not owned by the Association and has its own separate Board of Management.
The SATC holds title to freehold and leasehold interests in land as ‘Custodian Trustee’ on behalf of Scout Units, which means that it has an important but also limited role as it cannot, by law, have any responsibility for the managing the Scout Unit or it's land. This remains the responsibility of the Unit’s Executive Committee i.e. the ‘Managing’ or ‘Charity’ Trustees.