England Netball is committed to providing a First Class Participant Experience. We hope that most problems, concerns or areas of dissatisfaction can be resolved informally at the time they occur.
However, should that not be possible or appropriate, we take complaints about our policies, decisions and service provision seriously, and are committed to investigating all valid complaints, with a view to establishing what went wrong and whether there are service improvements or lessons to be learnt to ensure we are ‘the best we can be’.
Q&A
The questions and answers below should assists you in making a complaint and ensure the process is understood.
Q. Can I talk my grievance through with someone and resolve it informally instead of making a formal complaint?
- Yes, grievances can often be sorted out on an informal basis, which is often quicker and less onerous. Don’t be afraid to speak to a relevant member of staff or volunteer to see if they might be able to resolve the misunderstanding. You can telephone your Regional Office and ask to talk to a member of staff who will be able to advise you, or put you in touch with someone who can help. Alternatively, you can email complaints@englandnetball.co.uk.
Q. How do I make a complaint about the behaviour of a member of England Netball?
- If your complaint is about the actions or behaviour of a person who is participating or volunteering in netball (including Non-Executive Directors of England Netball, Members of the Regional and County Associations and their technical/sub groups, or Competition Official) then please contact your county or region Resolution Lead and they can support you to look to resolve informally or determine if it amounts to a breach in the England Netball’s Codes of Conduct and if it should be handled through the England Netball Disciplinary Regulations.
Q. How do I make a complaint about an element of practice or delivery, a policy, decision or service?
- If your complaint is related to a service delivered by England Netball you can contact a member of our staff or complete a Complaint Form.
- We will strive to acknowledge your complaint within five working days. If further investigation is required, we aim to send a comprehensive response within a maximum of 20 working days.
- If your complaint is related to the services of an alternative Appropriate Authority you should raise your complaint with them directly.
Q. Can I make my complaint anonymously?
- We would encourage everyone to identify themselves when they put in their complaint but understand that sometimes there are valid reasons for not wanting to put your name to an issue. In order to ensure that serious issues of concern are raised and addressed, we have a Whistleblowing Policy which allows all participants to raise issues without fear of any victimisation or reprisal. Should you wish to raise a complaint anonymously you can do so via our Whistleblowing Form.
- We would also encourage you to raise such issues internally, through a complaint to the Compliance Manager through the Complaint Form, but recognise the importance of being able to take concerns to an outside body. We have identified the usual agencies which have a responsibility to consider allegations of serious misconduct, for example Health and Safety issues or financial mismanagement.
Q. What will happen to my complaint?
- If your complaint is formal (Stage 2), you will receive an acknowledgement in writing within five working days, with a summary of what the complaint is understood to be. You will also be told how the matter will be progressed and who is responsible for investigating the matter. Wherever possible, complaints will be investigated and a proposed resolution made within a maximum of 20 working days.
Q. Who will deal with my complaint?
- Working with partners means England Netball may not be the right people to look at your complaint. Local netball delivery is usually through County Associations, Regional Associations, or local clubs and registered leagues and they are responsible for the services they deliver.
- If your complaint is about a local netball issue, it is recommended that you contact this Appropriate Authority directly. If a complaint relating to another Appropriate Authority is received by England Netball it will be forwarded to the Appropriate Authority, where known. You will be informed that this has been done and provided with the local contact details of the individuals dealing with your complaint.
- If the investigation discloses a potential safeguarding concern or breach of the Codes of Conduct this will be referred to be handled through the appropriate safeguarding policy or Disciplinary Regulations respectively.
- Within England Netball, your complaint will be dealt with by the person responsible for the area of operation to which the complaint relates. If your complaint is related to the behaviours of a member of staff it may be forwarded to the HR & People Development Manager to ensure that appropriate disciplinary procedures are applied. The Compliance Manager will oversee the handling of the complaint and ensure that the processes and timeframes are appropriate.
- At the conclusion of the matter, the person handling your complaint will make a record of it, how it was dealt with and the resolution before sending it to the Compliance Manager for a record to be kept in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.
Q. Do I have a right to Appeal if I am not happy with the result of my complaint?
- Yes, for complaints relating to England Netball services, you do have a right to appeal under Stage 3.
- Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Company Secretary, Company.Secretary@englandnetball.co.uk, detailing why you are unhappy with the outcome or conduct of the complaint. The Company Secretary will either deal with the Appeal or appoint another person if they have dealt with the complaint previously. The person conducting the Appeal will write to you with their decision.
- There is no further right of Appeal.