Friends of Evington Complaints Procedure document 1.0
| Ratified Yes |
| Status Approved |
| Issued May 2020 |
| Approved By Trustees Yes |
| Consultation By trustees |
| Equality Impact Assessment Completed No |
| Distribution All individual members and group members’ representative of the charity |
| Implementation Date May 2021 |
| Planned Review Date To be decided |
| Version 1.0 |
| Author Helen Pettman (Secretary of Friends of Evington) |
| Friends of Evington’s Safeguarding officer: Previously Paul Archdeacon, but position vacant after AGM November 2022. |
| Policy Validity Statement Policy users should ensure that they are consulting the currently valid version of the documentation. This document will be reviewed one year from its issue date. |
Approval
The policy will remain valid, including during its period of review. However, the policy must be reviewed next year and afterwards at least once in every 3 year period.
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Contents
Status form ………………………………………………..Page 1
Contents and Introduction ……………………………………..Page 2
Purpose of Policy………………………………………………….Page 2 and 3
Purpose (cont.) and Formal Complaints Procedure…..Page 3 and 4
Formal Complaints Procedure (cont.)………………………Page 4
Complaints Form………………………………………………….Page 5
Complaints Form ………………………………………..Page 6
2. INTRODUCTION
This policy sets out how Friends of Evington will fulfil its statutory duties and responsibilities effectively both within its own organisation and for the affiliated groups and members that help with Friends of Evington’s charitable vision and objectives.
VISION: To inspire a healthy community in Evington through bringing environmental and educational projects to life, providing solutions that benefit local people and protect the planet.
OBJECTIVES:
TO PROMOTE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THE CONSERVATION PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IN THE EVINGTON SUBURB OF LEICESTER AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
TO PROMOTE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE INHABITANTS OF EVINGTON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NEED OF SUCH FACILITIES BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, INFIRMITY OR DISABLEMENT, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES OR FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF LIFE OF THE SAID INHABITANTS.
3. PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
Friends of Evington aims to provide the best possible advice, support and services to their individual and group members in Evington and surrounding area. The Board of Trustees of Friends of Evington are accountable to the Charity Commission.
From time to time an individual member or member group may feel s/he has not had the best possible service that Friends of Evington aim to provide.
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It is important that any member wishing to make a complaint knows how to do so. FofE Board of Trustees will respond to a complaint within reasonable time limits and in a courteous and efficient way. They will take members complaints seriously and the circumstances investigated and necessary corrective action undertaken.
Conciliation
Any members who are dissatisfied with any aspect of the work of Friends of Evington should contact the Chair of Friends of Evington in the first instance. The chair will seek to satisfy any complaint by conciliation and clarification of the issues involved. Hopefully the majority of problems can be satisfied by this informal process. The chair will reply to the complainant within fourteen days of receipt of the complaint.
If the person making the complaint is not satisfied by the result of the above informal process we would welcome them using the following more formal procedures:-
4. FORMAL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
First Stage
4.1 Any complaint should be communicated to the Chair* of Friends of
Evington, or to the Secretary if the complaint is about the Chair.
*If this position is vacant, then to the Safeguarding Officer
4.2 Friends of Evington will acknowledge in writing (identifying the complaint) receipt of the complaint within three working days.
4.3 The Chair* or Secretary shall investigate all circumstances leading to the complaint and ensure that a Friends of Evington complaints form is completed.
4.4 The Chair* or Secretary shall inform the complainant of the result of the investigation, and any corrective action taken. This will be completed within twenty-one days unless circumstances prolong the investigation, in which case an interim report will be made to the complainant and new time-scale set.
5. Second Stage
5.1 If the complainant is dissatisfied with the results of the enquiry and/or corrective action taken, they have a right to put their case (in person if they wish) to the Secretary or another senior officer on the Friends of Evington board.
5.2 The Secretary or other senior officer shall undertake any further enquiries and report the decision to the complainant within thirty days.
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6. Third Stage
6.1 If the complainant is dissatisfied with the decision of the Secretary or other senior officer, they have a right to put their case to another trustee, where an Appeal Sub Committee would be set up comprising of at least two Friends of Evington Board members.
6.2 The Appeal Sub Committee should undertake an investigation of the complaint and produce recommendations for the Friends of Evington Trustee Board.
6.3 The Friends of Evington Trustee Board will take a final decision on the complaint.
All complaints and positive feedback to Friends of Evington will be fully recorded and a report made to the Trustee Board on any complaints dealt with via this procedure. A written record will be retained of complaints.
Signed:
Position:
Date:
Friends of Evington 