Complaints Procedure

1. This Regulation sets out the procedures for handling complaints by or on behalf of a complainer, who may be:

2. The complaint shall be about or against a complainee, who may be:

3. The complaint must relate to the Club, its activities and/or its venue.

4. The complaint must be made within three months after the cause for complaint arose.

5. The complaint should be sent to the Secretary, but if the complainee is the Secretary it should be sent to the Chairman.

6. The Secretary or (as the case may be) the Chairman shall:

a. nominate himself or another Principal Officer to deal with the complaint
b. acknowledge receipt to the complainant within 72 hours and inform him or her of the name of the Principal Officer dealing with the complaint.

7. The Principal Officer dealing with the complaint shall:

a. if he is satisfied that there is a prima facie case against the complainee, forthwith recommend the Committee to bar the complainee from attending any club activity until the complaint has been decided by the Committee
b. deal promptly and competently with the complaint, orally or in writing
c. ensure that the person against whom the complaint is made knows who the complainant is, sees the complaint and has a reasonable opportunity to respond to it
d. rule on the complaint in writing, with an explanation of the ruling and its basis, and provide the ruling to the complainant, the person against whom the complaint is made, and the Committee.

8. The ruling may include recommendations to the Committee.

9. If the complaint or any part of it is upheld, the Committee shall consider any recommendations and take whatever action it considers appropriate.

10. If the Committee considers disciplinary action against any member or officer to be appropriate, such action may include:

If the complainee is a member of the club

a. the expulsion of the member
b. a suitable fine imposed on the member, on the basis that the Committee may expel the member if the fine is not paid within such reasonable time as the Committee may determine and notify to the member
c. other action falling short of dismissal or expulsion

If the complainee is an officer of the club

d. the dismissal, or suspension for a fixed period, of the officer if an Appointed Officer
e. the calling by the Committee of an EGM for the purpose of dismissing the officer if a Principal Officer and the election of a Principal Officer to hold office in place of the officer so dismissed

In any event

f. a written warning
g. barring the complainee from attending any club activity at the club’s venue for such period as the Committee thinks just
h. such action as the Committee may think fit in the case of the organiser of a club activity or a participant in a club activity, which action may be analogous to one or more of the foregoing actions

Last updated: 11th September 2023