Comments & Complaints Policy

1.1.            Introduction

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Skateboard GB Customer Charter which sets our intentions for the service that we provide.

1.2.            The purpose of the Policy  

1.2.1.            This policy sets out how Skateboard GB will handle comments and complaints.

1.3.            Your Comments and Feedback  

1.3.1.            We are always looking for ways to improve the services that we offer and also to identify areas where we are doing well.

1.3.2.            Feedback and comments about our services are always welcome and this will be discussed at the appropriate time to improve the service that we offer.

1.3.3.            If you have feedback or comments that you wish us to consider we would encourage you to send it directly to the relevant staff and/or info@skateboardgb.com

1.3.4.            We will acknowledge your email but typically, due to resource limitations, will not provide formal responses and updates.

1.4.            Your Complaints  

1.4.1.            We hope you will be fully satisfied with the service you receive from Skateboard GB, but if you have a specific complaint about our service we want to hear from you.

1.4.2.            We will take your complaint seriously and will address it and respond to it as quickly as possible given the resources we have. Only by listening to our customers can we hope to improve our overall levels of service.

1.5.            The Definition of a complaint

1.5.1.            A complaint is...
"An expression of dissatisfaction about Skateboard GB’s action, or lack of action, or about the standard of a service, whether the action taken or the service was provided by a Skateboard GB staff member, a volunteer acting on behalf of Skateboard GB, or a body or organisation acting on behalf of Skateboard GB ".

1.5.2.            A complaint is not...  

An initial request for a service to be delivered within a published timescale, except where the consequential actions of Skateboard GB mean the definition of complaint, as defined above, are met.

1.5.3.            Complaints we can’t help with:

1.5.3.1.                         Generally speaking, we will not be able to consider your complaint:

1.5.3.2.                         If you wish to make it anonymously

1.5.3.3.                         If you wish to disagree with one of our published policies

1.5.3.4.                         If you wish to disagree with Home Country Association policies

1.5.3.5.                         If you wish to disagree with wider government policy

1.5.3.6.                         If you wish to disagree with a decision that was reached properly and in accordance with our policies and procedures

1.5.3.7.                         If you wish to disagree with a judging decision

1.5.4.            You are at any time welcome to provide feedback on these matters which will be dealt with.

1.6.            Who Can Make a Complaint?

1.6.1.            Any member of the public or their representatives, staff, businesses, public and voluntary bodies can make a complaint about, or to, Skateboard GB.

1.7.            How to Send Your Complaint

1.7.1.            You can send us your complaints on our service, which we will deal with confidentially, by telephone, online or in writing. Complaints should be made within 90 days of the incident giving rise to your concern. We may, at our discretion consider complaints raised after 90 days if there has been an understandable reason for the delay

1.7.2.            In writing

1.7.2.1.                         If you wish to write to us with your comments or complaints about Skateboard GB service, you can email us, direct to info@skateboardgb.com or write to:

1.7.2.2.                         Skateboard GB, c/o Unit 6, Acorn Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield, S8 0TB

1.8.            What We Need to Know

1.8.1.            To help us investigate your complaint, please provide as much of the following information as possible when you contact us:

1.8.2.            Whether it is an original complaint, or a follow-up to a reply you were not satisfied with A clear description of the complaint and what you would like us to do to sort things out

1.8.3.            Details of any relevant membership number, license numbers and/or other reference numbers relating to any contacts you may previously have had with Skateboard GB on this subject (for example when sending an email to volunteers or staff members)

1.8.4.            Your full postal address, telephone number (including dialling code), and email address if you have one.

1.8.5.            We may need to contact other parties in order to properly investigate your complaint. If you do not wish us to do so, or you wish to remain anonymous during these investigations, you must tell us although we reserve the right to refer serious matters to relevant enforcement authorities at any time.

1.9.            What Happens Next?

1.9.1.            The following information sets out how we will handle your complaint and explains how we will seek to provide you with a satisfactory response.

1.9.2.            Informal complaint

1.9.2.1.                         We hope that most complaints can be settled quickly and as close to the source of the problem as possible. Therefore, if you are dissatisfied with a service we have provided or any other aspect of our contact with you, you should initially contact the member of staff or volunteer in question and ask them to help you to resolve the matter. If you are unsure which member of staff or volunteer to contact, please email info@skateboardgb.com.

1.9.2.2.                         The member of staff or volunteer will work with you to understand why you are dissatisfied and, if possible, take action to resolve the matter immediately and informally. If the resources are not available to resolve the matter immediately that will be explained. If it becomes apparent that informal resolution will not be possible you will be given the option to raise a formal complaint.

1.9.2.3.                         We recognise that there may be circumstances under which you might prefer not to contact the member of staff/volunteer in question. In these cases, you should contact the CEO in the first instance and in the event that the CEO is the member of staff, the Chair. Both can be contacted on info@skateboardgb.com.

1.9.3.            Formal complaint

1.9.3.1.                         If after contacting the member of staff or volunteer concerned you remain dissatisfied you should write to the person with overall responsibility for the matter in question cc’ing info@skateboardgb.com. Details of the responsible person will be provided by the member of staff who considered your informal complaint and can also be obtained from info@skateboardgb.com This may be a member of staff or a volunteer.

1.9.3.2.                         We will acknowledge your formal complaint within seven working days. We hope to provide a response within 20 working days, but if this is not possible, we will explain why and give you a date by which you can expect a response.

1.9.3.3.                         The responsible person will look into your complaint. He or she will review the facts and consider any information you have provided us with. At the end of your formal complaint we will write to you to tell you the outcome and explain any action we propose to take.

1.9.4.            Appeal

1.9.4.1.                         If your complaint is still not resolved, you can ask our CEO to look into the matter. You can do this by emailing james@skateboardgb.com

1.9.4.2.                         The Chief Executive will review the facts, consider any information you have provided us with and also review our prior handling of your complaint. The CEO may ask the Chair, a member of the Board or an independent person to assist in reviewing your complaint.

1.9.4.3.                         This may take up to 20 working days depending on the complaint.

1.9.4.4.                         After considering your appeal the CEO will write to you to tell you the outcome and explain any action that we propose to take.

1.10.        Confidentiality

1.10.1.        All complaints are treated with confidentiality in mind. Only the CEO and the staff resolving specific complaints in each service area will be aware that a complaint has been received and is being dealt with. We will respect anonymity, with respect to complainants, but it is better for the complainant to provide contact details, so that they can be informed of the outcome.

1.11.        What We Expect from You  

1.11.1.        We understand that if you have a complaint you are likely to feel strongly about it. We also understand that you may feel angry, frustrated or upset by the circumstances that led to your complaint and that this may cause you to act in a way that is out of character. Nevertheless, we expect you to be polite and courteous to our staff and our volunteers and we will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour. There is a large amount of work in Skateboard GB being done by teams of volunteers and we expect complainants to respect that.

1.11.2.        Unreasonable complaints

1.11.2.1.                      In most cases complaints can be dealt with quickly and simply. However, in a minority of cases complaints are pursued in unreasonable and inappropriate ways. We have no choice but to take action to protect our staff and volunteers where this is the case.

1.11.2.2.                      Unreasonable complaints are complaints that, because of the nature of the contact or frequency with which the complaint is pursued, hinder our ability to properly consider the matters at hand or place unwarranted demands on staff time. Unreasonable complaints may be justified grievances pursued in inappropriate ways, or they may be complaints which appear to have no substance, or which have already been fully investigated or responded to.

1.11.2.3.                      If we deem a complaint unreasonable, we will take action that is proportionate to the nature and frequency of the complainant’s contact with Skateboard GB. Appendix B sets out some examples. The decision to apply measures to manage unreasonable complaints will be taken by the CEO or Chair. The complainant will be informed of the measures in writing.

1.11.3.        Aggressive or Obsessive Complainants

1.11.3.1.                      Skateboard GB wants to deal honestly and respectfully with complainants and ensure that other service users, staff or Skateboard GB as a whole do not suffer detriment from persons making vexatious, aggressive or obsessive complaints.

1.11.3.2.                      Examples of behaviour which could be defined as vexatious, aggressive or obsessive include – excessive and repeated attempts to contact staff and volunteers, pursuing multiple complaints against the organisation at the same time, making unreasonable demands of staff and volunteers, threats (including those of legal action) against staff/volunteers or the organisation, repeated raising of unreasonable complaints (see above), making multiple complaints to multiple external organisations about Skateboard GB.

1.11.3.3.                      The CEO and Chair of Skateboard GB will write to complainants to inform them that their behaviour is considered to be unacceptable.

1.11.3.4.                      If we experience aggressive, obsessive or vexatious behaviour from a complainant we will take action that is proportionate to the nature and frequency of the complainant’s contact with the organisation. The decision to apply measures to manage complainants will be taken by the Chair or CEO. The complainant will be informed of the measures in writing.

1.11.3.5.                      If appropriate a complainant may be reported for Disciplinary proceedings.

1.12.        Complaints About Partners, Suppliers and Sponsors

1.12.1.        Skateboard GB recognises complaints regarding Skateboard GB’s Partners, Suppliers, Sponsors and any organisation contracted to work for Skateboard GB and will seek to resolve such complaints where they relate to Skateboard GB’s activities and services. These complaints are useful to guide learning in future service delivery and contractual arrangements, and feedback on performance is given to Partners, Suppliers and Sponsors, on a regular basis. Skateboard GB will forward complaints received in respect of other organisations or appropriate bodies.

1.13.        Equalities Statements  

1.13.1.        Skateboard GB aims to handle all complaints honestly and respectfully regardless of who makes a complaint. Skateboard GB treats all members of the community equitably and will not show bias to any particular individual or group.

1.14.        Matters That are Outside This Policy  

1.14.1.        The following matters are not included in this policy:

1.14.1.1.                      Complaints which are subject to legal proceedings

1.14.1.2.                      Complaints about member behaviour contrary to the Skateboard GB Code of Conduct

1.14.1.3.                      Adult statutory complaints

1.14.1.4.                      Children statutory complaints

1.15.        Monitoring Performance

1.15.1.        Skateboard GB enforces a staff appraisal system which includes an agreed Job Description for every member of staff, so that each member of staff has an agreed personal development plan. These plans are reviewed at least every six months. This regard for the development and training of our staff will ensure that, wherever possible, you will receive the appropriate experience in your dealings with our organisation.

1.15.2.        We want and will actively seek feedback on the way we operate and the way we interact with our customers. These feedback procedures are defined above and will form an integral part of our ability to continually improve our service to our customers.

1.16.        Appendix A Unreasonable Complaints

1.16.1.        Here are some examples of the actions and behaviours that may lead Skateboard GB to deem a complaint unreasonable:

1.16.1.1.                      Refusing to specify the grounds of a complaint, despite offers of assistance from staff

1.16.1.2.                      Refusing to co-operate with the complaints procedure while still wishing the complaint to be resolved

1.16.1.3.                      Refusing to accept that some issues are not within the remit of our complaints procedure despite having been provided with the information

1.16.1.4.                      Changing the basis of the complaint while the procedure is in process

1.16.1.5.                      Introducing trivial or irrelevant new information or raising large numbers of detailed but unimportant questions and insisting they are all fully answered

1.16.1.6.                      Adopting a 'scattergun approach’: repeatedly contacting different members of staff with different information and/or questions, or pursuing a complaint simultaneously with a number of different public bodies

1.16.1.7.                      Submitting a repeat complaint once the matter has been concluded or refusing to accept a decision and repeatedly arguing a point or complaining about the decision

1.16.1.8.                      If we deem a complaint unreasonable, we will take action that is proportionate to the nature and frequency of the complainant’s contact with Skateboard GB which may include:

1.16.1.9.                      Refusing to consider further, additional complaints about a matter currently under consideration

1.16.1.10.                  Placing limits on telephone conversations or personal contact – for example by limiting telephone contact to one named member of staff

1.16.1.11.                  By limiting the methods of contact available to the complainant – for example by limiting contact to written means only

1.16.1.12.                  By refusing to consider matters that have already been comprehensively dealt with