Complaints Procedure

Comments, Compliments and Complaints

OUR COMMITMENT

Active Surrey Sports Partnership is committed to delivering high quality services and follows two key principles in the achievement of this goal. We aim to:

1. Treat everyone fairly and equally regardless of their age, gender, disability, race, ethnic origin, nationality, colour, parental or marital status, religious belief, class or social background, sexual preference or political belief.

2. Ensure that children and young people are able to enjoy and achieve through sport by being safe and free from harm when taking part.

We expect all staff to meet our expected standards of behaviour by adhering to our Codes of Conduct. These have been developed in line with good practice guidance:

Surrey County Council 'Fairness & Dignity at Work' Procedure
Coaches Code of Conduct

COMMENTS AND COMPLIMENTS

Your feedback is very important to us. We want to know what you think about us, about our services and the way we deliver them. Your compliments highlight areas of good practice and acknowledge the hard work of our staff. We welcome your comments and complaints as they help us to improve.

If you would like to tell us something about our services, please contact the person who delivers the service/activity you want to comment about or contact the Active Surrey Sports Partnership team by telephone, post or email:

By telephone: 01483 518944

By fax: 01483 518950

By email: active.surrey@surreycc.gov.uk

By post: Active Surrey Sports Partnership, Surrey Sports Development Unit, Christs College, Larch Avenue, Guildford GU1 1JY

COMPLAINTS

We work hard to deliver high-quality services, but from time to time things may go wrong or we may not meet your expectations. We welcome complaints as an opportunity to put things right and improve our performance. Please let us know any issues or concerns so that we are able to take appropriate action.

It is also essential to highlight that all of us have a responsibility to protect children and young people from harm. If you are worried that a member of staff may be showing unacceptable and/or abusive behaviour towards a child or young person, you MUST report it.

We will make sure that all complaints, whatever their nature, are taken seriously and responded to appropriately. We are committed to continuously improving our services and, where necessary, action will be taken in accordance with ASSP Disciplinary Procedures or through referral to statutory agencies.

We encourage all employees, partners and customers who have serious concerns about any aspect of the Partnership's work to come forward and voice those concerns.

As an organisation we promote use of Surrey County Council's 'Speaking Out' Policy. This policy is in place to allow an individual to raise concerns regarding malpractice or wrongdoing without fear of victimisation, subsequent discrimination or disadvantage.

We will deal with all complaints in confidence. You can ask for your complaint to be anonymous and we will respect that. The only exception is when, by law, we have to protect you or other people from harm.

WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?

Active Surrey Sports Partnership has a wide range of staff responsible for

co-ordinating the delivery of its services and activities. See Appendix C for full contact details.

If you feel comfortable doing so, please make your complaint directly to the person who provides the services for you. Alternatively, please contact one of the following members of the ASSP Management Team:

Sarah White (Partnership Manager), Tel: 01483 518955,
E-mail: sarah.white@surreycc.gov.uk

Campbell Livingston (Operations Manager), Tel: 01483 518954,
E-mail: campbell.livingston@surreycc.gov.uk

Should you have concerns that someone is using unacceptable and/or abusive behaviour towards a child or young person, please contact Sarah White or Penny Woods, who are the designated ASSP Lead Child Protection Officers.

If you have serious concerns about the immediate safety of a child or young person, contact Children's Services on 08456 009 009 (Emergency Duty Team on 01483 517898, Out of hours) or Surrey Police by dialling 999.

MAKING A COMPLAINT - STEP BY STEP

Anyone can complain, whatever their age, either on their own or with the help of a friend, relative or another person who speaks on their behalf (with their permission).

Stage One

We listen to what you have to say and will either sort out your complaint quickly, where possible, or carry out a thorough investigation.

Stage Two

If you are not satisfied with the decision reached at Stage One, please contact the Surrey County Council Customer Relations Team. A Customer Relations Manager will arrange for an investigator who is not responsible for the service you are complaining about to investigate the matter independently.

Customer Relations Team

Conquest House

Wood Street

Kingston upon Thames

KT1 1AB

Tel: 020 8541 9100 or 9811

Fax: 020 8541 9575

Email: county.complaints@surreycc.gov.uk

Stage Three

If you are not satisfied with the decision reached at Stage Two, the Head of Customer Services will commission a request of the Stage Two investigation and recommend one the following actions:

1. No further action is taken by the Council

2. Changes to the stage two recommendations/remedies

Page last updated: January 2007