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Grounds for complaint
1. Applicants may complain to the Foundation using the method outlined if they believe that
a) their application has been incorrectly or negligently assessed
b) the assessor or any other staff member acting on the Foundation’s behalf has failed to conduct themselves appropriately (eg by breaking confidence where boundaries have been made clear)
c) the assessor or any other staff member has contravened any legal requirements eg equal opportunities legislation
d) the assessor or any other staff member has failed to notify the trustees of matters which would affect their decision
e) the assessor or any other staff member has acted in some manner which was deleterious to the applicant and/or which breached the Foundation’s expectations of professional and respectful conduct.
2. Applicants may not appeal against a decision taken about the interpretation of the Foundation’s guidelines or any rejection unless they have grounds as in 1 above.
How to complain
3. Complaints should be made in writing to the Foundation’s Director (or the Chairman of the Foundation’s Board if the complaint concerns the Director’s conduct) as soon as possible after the incident concerned. The written complaint should give factual information: time, place, persons involved and/or witnessing the incident (if appropriate), exact factual nature of the complaint and any supporting evidence.
How complaints will be handled
4. Normally the Director will discuss the matter with the complainant and the person who is the subject of it separately and will attempt to resolve it reasonably. A report of the discussions will be available to both parties. If there are grounds to review a decision, the Director will ensure that this is done independently and objectively.
5. The complainant will be informed of the outcome of the investigation in writing.
6. In rare cases it may be necessary to refer matters to the Trustees and to discipline the person about whom the complaint has been made. Complainants may be asked to an interview by a Trustee or, in the case of a dismissable offence, by a Personnel Officer. Attendance is entirely at the discretion of the complainant but failure to attend may result in a complaint having to be dropped.
7. Complainants should be aware that, while minor matters resolvable within the Foundation’s staff team may be kept confidential, anything more serious is likely to become more public.
8. The Foundation will try to ensure that reasonable complaints are resolved rapidly and that the making of a reasonable complaint does not adversely affect the complainant’s future relationship with the Foundation.
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The Old Chapel
Woodbine Road
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 1DD
Tel: 0191 284 8412
Fax: 0191 284 8413
Minicom: 0191 284 5411
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