Teignbridge District Scout Commissioner Alan Partridge attended a Buckingham Palace Garden Party on Wednesday in recognition of his services to scouting – and at the same time has been suspended by the county association.

The suspension can run for up to 30 days and the county is saying it is because of his approach to Scout Association policy.

Since Mr Partridge, 77, became commissioner in 2007, the numbers of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers has almost doubled from around 730 to more than 1,300, with groups in the district up from nine to 17.

During that period it was the fastest growing Scout district in the country, but now Mr Partridge, of Newton Abbot, believes he has become a victim of the Teignbridge success story and of not being afraid to speak his mind.

Mr Partridge claims he has fallen foul of county commissioner Russell Gibson, whom he claims told him to stop growing the movement because the county could not cope with the training, and of being district commissioner for his own personal gratification.

Mr Partridge has contended that extra money from the additional membership could be invested by the county for training more trainers and claims the county achieves nothing and lacks inspiration. A spokesman for the Scout Association said: 'The Scout County of Devon can confirm that Mr Alan Partridge, an adult volunteer from Teignbridge, was suspended from the Movement on June 23.

'The suspension relates to Alan's approach to implementing Scout Association policy. This matter is now subject to an investigation and it would not be right to comment further on these matters until the investigation is complete'.

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