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COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Introduction

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We aim to maintain high standards in all that we do but recognise that we can sometimes get things wrong, despite our best intentions.

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BSPS views a complaint as an opportunity – a chance to put things right for the person making the complaint and to improve the service that BSPS offers. We would not be able to do this or learn for the future if we did not receive feedback when things go wrong. Therefore we value and take seriously any feedback we receive.


Generally, the purpose of this Complaints Procedure is to resolve disputes informally without resorting to formal or legal proceedings. We will try to explore every reasonable option to resolve complaints by working with the person making the complaint to agree an outcome which is satisfactory to them and BSPS.


Whether a complaint is justified or not, our reply will describe the action we have taken to investigate the complaint, conclusions we have reached as a result of the investigation and any action we have taken or are taking as a result of a complaint.


We will ensure that all information received and produced in connection with a complaint is treated as confidential and handled sensitively, that only those who need to know have access to that information and that relevant data protection requirements are all met.


All complaint information is passed promptly to our Trustee Responsible for Complaints and he/she reports on them to our trustees within 28 days.


The information below sets out our Complaints Procedure. to the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) where appropriate.

Complaint

A ‘complaint’ in this Procedure means any expression of dissatisfaction in relation to BSPS that requires a response from BSPS.

Where complaints may come from

Complaints may come from users of BSPS’s services, including mentees and mentors, members of BSPS, donors, fundraisers, supporters, or any other person or organisation who has a legitimate interest in BSPS.

Complaints which cannot be dealt with under this Procedure

This Procedure is only for the above type of external complaint, not for complaints or grievances from staff or volunteers or trustees.


Whilst complainants are generally entitled to receive responses to a complaint and to challenge any responses received from BSPS, it will not deal with complaints or challenges where in the reasonable opinion of our Trustee Responsible for Complaints, they amount to persistent, habitual or vexatious complaints or challenges.


BSPS expects any complainant to be polite and courteous. It will not tolerate aggressive, abusive or unreasonable behaviour or demands.

How to make a complaint

First Stage


If you have a complaint you can directly contact Gregg Woodall, our Trustee Responsible for Complaints by:


Phone – 01608 682948

Email – woodallgregg@gmail.com

Letter – BSPS (Complaints), Linholm, Front Street, Ilmington, CV36 4LB


To help us investigate and address all complaints, we ask you to provide us with as much information as possible. This should cover:


  • The reason for your complaint

  • Where and when what you are complaining about happened

  • The name(s) of anyone involved (if known)

  • What outcome you are hoping for (but we are not obliged to resolve the complaint in that way)

  • Your contact details (name, address, phone number and/or email address)


Our Trustee Responsible for Complaints may seek further information by phone, email or letter.


Timescales for all First Stage complaints made by phone, email or in writing:


We will try to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and as a minimum we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 2 working days if you contact our Trustee Responsible for Complaints by phone or email and within 10 working days if your contact is by letter.


Our acknowledgement will inform you of when we will next contact you either with a proposed resolution or update. The Trustee Responsible for Complaints will then investigate and respond to you with their definitive reply.


You should receive that definitive reply within four weeks. If this is not possible, because for example an investigation has not been fully completed, a progress report will be sent with an indication of when a full reply will be given.



Second stage


If, for any reason, you are not happy with the resolution of your complaint under the First Stage procedure outlined above, you can bring this to our attention by sending an email or letter to our Trustee Responsible for Complaints (contact details above).


Your complaint, if possible, will then be passed to another trustee or a panel of trustees excluding the Trustee Responsible for Complains and excluding any trustee about whom the complaint was made. Please note though we are a small charity with few trustees.


Please set out clearly the details of the complaint, explaining why you were not satisfied with our response under the First Stage and what you would like us to do to put things right.


The appointed trustee or panel will send an acknowledgment within 10 working days. The appointed trustee or panel will investigate your complaint and respond with a definitive reply within a further 10 working days.



Follow up


In order for us to make improvements to BSPS and its services, we may wish to contact you within a month of your complaint being dealt with in order to check that you were satisfied with our resolution. Any information you give will only be used to make improvements to BSPS and its services.

Taking your complaint outside BSPS

The Fundraising Regulator


If your complaint is about our fundraising work or activities and you are not satisfied with our response, you are entitled to take it to the Fundraising Regulator who works to ensure that organisations raising money from the public do so honestly and properly. Their contact details are:


Fundraising Regulator 2nd Floor, CAN Mezzanine 49-51 East Road, London, N1 6AH

Phone - 0300 999 3407

Email - admin@fundraisingregulator.org.uk

Website – www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/complaints


Charity Commission


Note that BSPS is an unregistered small charity.


If your complaint is about an aspect of our charitable work, other than our fundraising work or activities, you may wish to contact the Charity Commission. However, we suggest that, before you do so, you consider whether it is appropriate to contact the Commission in the first instance rather than ourselves. The Commission has guidance on its website as to when to direct complaints to a charity and not to the Commission. Their contact details are:


Charity Commission Direct, PO Box 1227, Liverpool, L69 3UG

Tel: 0845 300 0218
Website - www.charitycommission.gov.uk/contact-us/general-enquiries/report-a-concern-about-a-charity


Other Authorities


The Charity Commission guidance to the public states that:


  • If you believe there is criminal activity within a charity, you should inform the police

  • If you suspect fraud connected to a charity, you should report it using the Action Fraud Online Reporting Service at http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or call 0300 123 2040

  • If you have information about possible terrorist activity connected to a charity, you should report it to the Anti-terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.


If a complaint relates to your personal data, it may be appropriate to contact the Office of the Information Commissioner at https://ico.org.uk/concerns or by telephone on 0303 123 1113.


A complaint could be directed to another regulator where it properly falls under its jurisdiction or remit. For example, a complaint could be made to the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) where appropriate.

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