Approved at the Annual General Meeting in September 2023.
Related pages:
- Constitution
- Standing Orders – Officers’ Responsibilites
- Standing Orders – General Meetings
- Complaints against the Officers (this page)
- Complaints against members (discipline)
Morris Federation Policy: Resolving Complaints against the Officers or their actions on behalf of the Morris Federation.
- Introduction
- Informal resolution
- Formal process
- Grievance Hearing
- Resolution
- Right of appeal
1. Introduction
1.1 It is the policy of The Morris Federation that its Committee and its agents should act at all times in accordance with the law, with The Morris Federation’s policies and in an ethically appropriate fashion.
1.2 General concerns around the overall performance of the Committee or about established Morris Federation policy are not covered by this procedure. These concerns should be addressed first with the President, or if that fails to satisfy, then by the Membership in General Meeting as they apply, presumably, to all Members, or to a class of Members, equally.
1.3 Members of the public (or groups representing interested parties) who have concerns about Federation policy but have no standing at General Meetings should raise their concerns with the President, who is likely, but is not obliged, to follow a form of the procedure set out below.
1.4 Individuals (including Individual Members, members of Group Member organisations, and members of the public) may raise grievances under this policy concerning their treatment as individuals by an Officer or Officers or by the Committee or its agents when acting on behalf of The Morris Federation.
1.5 Group Members may raise grievances if it is their membership (or their organisation’s relationship with certain Officers or with the Committee) that is the root of the grievance.
1.6 Persons raising grievances are referred to here as ‘complainants’.
2. Informal resolution
2.1 Many potential grievances can be resolved informally. A private discussion is often all that is required to resolve an issue.
2.2 Complainants should in the first instance raise their concerns with the relevant Committee member or with the President directly. This does not prejudice the complainant’s right to subsequently pursue a formal grievance.
2.3 Where an issue cannot be resolved informally then it may be pursued formally.
3. Formal process
3.1 The process for handling conflicts of interest described in The Morris Federation’s Disciplinary Policy (Complaints against Members) applies to this Policy.
3.2 Complainants wishing to declare a formal grievance should do so in writing to the President (or if their concern is with the President, to the Secretary), laying out the nature of their grievance. Receipt of the grievance will be acknowledged as soon as is practicable.
3.3 Within 14 days of receipt, the President (but see conflicts of interest above) will appoint an Officer, or an independent person, (the ‘Appointed Officer’) to hear the grievance and determine a resolution. The Appointed Officer will respond to the complainant within a further 7 days setting out the process and suggested timetable for resolution.
3.4 Where appropriate (e.g. representations by third parties objecting to Morris Federation policy), and at the Committee’s sole discretion, the Committee may sit in full or in part as the Appointed Officer.
4. Grievance Hearing
4.1 The first step is usually to meet with the aggrieved complainant or, for Group Members, their appointed representative. The Appointed Officer has the right to seek sufficient confirmation that the person raising the grievance is a proper representative of a Group Member.
4.2 The aim of the meeting is to:
(a) Determine the nature of the grievance (to the complainant’s satisfaction), in particular, the action(s) that gave rise to the grievance and to understand why they ought to be considered unfair or unreasonable.
(b) Explore possible solutions.
4.3 The meeting will be chaired by the Appointed Officer. They will usually be accompanied by one other person – to take notes, etc. and to provide advice if asked to do so.
4.4 Designated Representatives and Individual Members may prefer to be accompanied at this meeting. Typically, persons accompanying Members:
(a) provide moral support;
(b) take notes;
(c) help with papers, evidence etc;
(d) quietly give advice.
4.5 There is no right to legal representation in these circumstances.
4.6 The complainant will be asked to explain their grievance, and how they would like it to be resolved.
4.7 It may be necessary to adjourn the meeting to allow time for necessary investigations to be undertaken. The nature and scope of such investigations will be agreed with the complainant, though the Appointed Officer may conduct any additional investigation as may be necessary to determine the full facts of the matter.
4.8 Complainants should note that it may not be possible, or desirable, to agree the ultimate solution at the hearing itself. Although all parties may agree, it may be necessary to consult or inform others or make arrangements that cannot be confirmed at the time.
5. Resolution
5.1 The Appointed Officer will provide a report within 21 days of the meeting (or of the completion of any investigations and/or subsequent meetings that may be necessary). The report will summarise the nature of the grievance, the possible solutions explored, the conclusions reached and final recommendations.
5.2 The report will be presented to the Officers in Committee (excluding the President and those recused or excluded) for ratification. The Officers by majority vote may:
(a) Accept the report and commit to implementing its recommendations, in full or in part.
(b) Refuse to accept the report’s recommendations.
5.3 The Committee decision should be communicated to the complainant within 28 days of ratification.
6. Right of appeal
6.1 Where a complainant does not feel that the Committee decision satisfactorily concludes their grievance, they may appeal. They must do so in writing and without undue delay. If satisfactory conclusion requires waiting for a future opportunity to demonstrate the proposed solution any appeal should follow without undue delay after that opportunity has arisen (and the solution has been shown to be unsatisfactory).
6.2 Appeals should be made to the President (subject to Conflicts of Interest) who, commencing to review the situation within 14 days, may at their discretion:
(a) Conduct any meeting, investigation, etc. as they see fit and reach a new determination in an effort to resolve the grievance.
(b) Refer the case back to the Appointed Officer to explore new solutions or to reconsider rejected solutions.
(c) Appoint a new Officer to reconsider the case or to start afresh.
(d) Refuse the appeal.
6.3 All timescales are advisory. Failure to meet these timescales does not in itself invalidate the outcome nor constitute a right of appeal.
Last updated: November 2023
