Friends of Turn Moss Grievance Procedure

Four key points for a fair grievance procedure are:

1. FoTM committee should deal with issues promptly and consistently and FoTM Committee should carry out any necessary investigations.

2. The Complainant should have an opportunity to put their case.

3. The Complainee should have an opportunity to put their case.

4. The Complainant should have the right to be accompanied at any formal meeting if they wish.

How to complain

Friends of Turn Moss Committee would like to sort out any complaint or concern as soon as possible. Many complaints and concerns can be sorted out immediately and informally.  

Verbally

If you are able, please raise the issue informally with a Friends of Turn Moss Committee Officer or Sub-Group Leader. (Senior Members). Your complaint or concern will be listened to carefully, any problems will be discussed between Complainant and FoTM Committee representative. Often a quiet word or asking for support from a FoTM Senior Member may be all that is needed to resolve an issue. 

In Writing

If informally sorting out the problem does not work, then the Complainant must detail in writing the specific circumstance which constitutes the grievance. This should be without unreasonable delay, normally within one month of the incident. Please include dates, times, witnesses, etc. as applicable. Complainants should stick to the facts and avoid insulting or abusive language. 

A senior member of the FoTM Committee will read your complaint carefully and will investigate any formal complaint thoroughly.  Generally, you will receive a response within ten working days of receipt of your letter.  The Committee may want to contact you to ask further questions about your complaint, so it will be useful if you could include an email address or telephone number as well as your address.

Appeals

Either party has the right to appeal against the decision. They must do so in writing within five working days of receiving written notification of the grievance decision, stating the reasons for the appeal. Any documents submitted in support of the appeal must be attached. Whoever has dealt with the written complaint will normally be excluded from hearing any appeal. An appeal meeting should ideally then be convened within 7 days of receiving the right to appeal.

Appeal Meeting

Where possible, a note-taker, who must be uninvolved in the case will take down a record of the proceedings.

Where possible, at least two members of the FoTM Committee will constitute an Appeal Panel. The Committee Members hearing the appeal should, if at all possible, have had no prior direct involvement in the case. The Complainant is entitled to be accompanied by a trusted representative of their choice at the appeal.

A member of the FoTM Appeal Panel will introduce the meeting, read out the grounds of the Complainant’s grievance, ask the Complainant if they are correct and require the Complainant to provide clarification regarding details of the grievance if unclear. They should be given the opportunity to put forward her/his case and say how they would like to see it resolved.  The FoTM Appeal Panel may question the Complainant and any of the Complainant’s witnesses.

The Complainant/companion will be given the opportunity to sum up but may not introduce any new material.

Any person who is the subject of a grievance should be provided with an opportunity to respond to the complaints made against them.

The meeting may be adjourned by the Appeal Panel if it is considered necessary to undertake further investigation. The meeting will be reconvened as soon as possible.

Having considered the grievance, the Appeal Panel will give their decision regarding the case in writing to the Complainant, this will normally be within five working days. If appropriate, the decision will set out what action FoTM Committee intends to take to resolve the grievance or if the grievance is not upheld, will explain the reasons why.

The decision of the Appeal Panel or person hearing the appeal shall be final.