CBA Complaints Procedure

in

The CBA takes complaints seriously. If you have a complaint to make about any aspect of the CBA then please contact us. It will be helpful if you can let us have the following information:

  • The nature of what you want to report, whether it is an incident that has happened or whether it is an allegation or suspicion of something that may have happened or is likely to happen
  • Who is involved (if appropriate) and their position in the charity
  • Whether there has been any publicity surrounding the issue
  • Details or copies of documentary evidence in support of your concerns
  • Your name, postal and email address and telephone number and connection (if any) to the CBA

All the information you have should be included at the outset and not submitted piecemeal. We will respect confidences where it is appropriate and possible to do so. Please be aware, however, that any person may have a right to be told the nature of the evidence upon which a complaint about them is based. Whilst we will take every step to try to ensure that your identity is not revealed without your consent, in some cases the nature of the allegations or evidence may give an indication as to their source. There may also be an obligation to reveal information to relevant authorities in certain circumstances. Where we feel that complaints should not remain anonymous then we will let you know before taking the matter further. If complaints are received from an anonymous source they will be investigated by a member of the senior management team, but will not necessarily go through the formal complaints procedure.

This complaints procedure applies to the general public and CBA volunteers and staff, who may make a complaint under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

If you would like us to consider your complaint then please write to: The Company Secretary via the address given at the bottom of this page (marking the envelope Confidential). If you need to make a complaint urgently, because the matter is particularly serious, then please contact the CBA Company Secretary by telephone, either via the main CBA number given below, or the CBA Director on 07793 817510 (out of office hours). You will need to also send it to us in writing as soon as possible thereafter and not more than three days after the initial contact.

The CBA will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within a maximum of five working days. A response to the complaint will normally be sent within 20 working days.

If you are not satisfied with the response then you have the right to appeal. The appeal should initially be made to the CBA Director (unless the Director has already dealt with the complaint). If the Director has already handled the complaint or if you are not satisfied with the response then an appeal may be made to the CBA President c/o the contact details above. The response of the President will be final with regard to internal CBA procedures, but you may be entitled to carry a complaint to the relevant authorities, including the Charity Commission and other bodies, if it is warranted.

The CBA would like to monitor and further develop its complaints procedures. If you have a comment on the process then please let us know.