Supporting Resources

This procedure has been designed with reference to ACAS best practice for Grievance Procedures and it may be appropriate to reference ACAS advice to ensure processes are followed fairly and consistently.

These links and the ACAS website may help provide guidance and help in how to put this Procedure to use.

https://www.acas.org.uk/investigations-for-discipline-and-grievance-step-by-step

https://www.acas.org.uk/grievance-procedure-step-by-step

Dealing with grievances informally

If you have a grievance or complaint to do with the club or the people you take part in activities with, you should, wherever possible, start by talking it over with a committee member. You may be able to agree on a solution informally between you.

Formal grievance

If the matter is serious and/or you wish to raise the matter formally you should set out the grievance in writing to the club Secretary. You should stick to the facts and avoid language that is insulting or abusive.

Where your grievance is against the Secretary, or you feel unable to approach them for some reason, you should raise your grievance with the President, Chair or another member of the Exec Committee.

Grievance hearing

The Secretary (or another Exec committee member) will call you to a meeting with a sub-committee of exec committee members, normally within five days, to discuss your grievance. You have the right to be accompanied by a governing body representative, or club member of your choice, at this meeting, if you make a reasonable request.

After the meeting the Secretary (or another Exec committee member), will give you a decision in writing, normally within 24 hours.

If it is necessary to gather further information before making a decision the Exec Committee member (usually the Secretary) will inform you of this and the likely timescale involved.

Appeal

If you are unhappy with the sub-committee’s decision and you wish to appeal you should let the Exec Committee member (usually the Secretary) know.

You will be invited to an appeal meeting, normally within five days, and your appeal will be heard by an exec committee sub-committee of committee members who were not previously involved in the case.

You have the right to be accompanied by a governing body representative, or club member of your choice at this meeting, if you make a reasonable request.

At the appeal, the sub-committee will review:

all information previously presented previously
any new information made available to them
any disciplinary penalty imposed.

After the meeting, the sub-committee will give you a decision, normally within 24 hours. The sub-committee's decision is final.