Weymouth Dance Festival is committed to delivering and maintaining high standards. We believe it is important to work in an open and accountable way that builds trust and respect. We value all comments and feedback including complaints. We learn important lessons from all the feedback we receive, and this helps us continuously improve our services.
We have developed this complaints policy and procedure to explain our approach to complaints.
We will:
- provide a fair complaints procedure which is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint;
- publicise the existence of our complaints policy and procedure so that people know how to contact us to make a complaint;
- make sure all complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely manner;
- make sure that, wherever possible, complaints are resolved and relationships repaired;
- learn from complaints and use them to improve our services.
Complaints policy and procedure
Responsibilities
Our responsibility is to:
- deal with the complaint in a reasonable, sensitive and timely manner; and
- take action where appropriate
The complainant’s responsibility is to:
- bring their complaint, in writing, to our attention within 8 weeks of the issue arising;
- explain the problem as clearly and as fully as possible, including any action they have taken to date;
- allow us reasonable time to deal with the matter, and
- recognise that some circumstances may be beyond our control.
Confidentiality
We handle all complaint information sensitively, telling only those who need to know and following any relevant data protection requirements. In exceptional circumstances, it may not be possible to maintain confidentiality (with each complaint judged on its own facts). Should this be the case, the situation will be explained to the complainant.
Complaints Procedure Stage One – Informal Complaint
An informal approach may be appropriate depending on the nature of the concerns raised. During the festival you may ask to speak to one of the committee members if you need to raise a concern, and they will direct you to the most appropriate person available that day. All Committee members will wear Committee badges throughout the festival. If the concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved informally, then the formal complaints procedure should be followed.
Stage Two – Formal Complaint
If the complaint cannot be resolved informally, a formal complaint may be made, and the following procedure should be followed:
a) A formal complaint should be made by email at: weymouthdancefestival@gmail.com addressed to the Chairperson, June Hornby.
b) The Chairperson will acknowledge receipt of the complaint by email within 7 days of receiving it.
c) The Chairperson will refer the complaint to our Complaints Panel for consideration. Our Complaints Panel comprises of Trustees and members of the Weymouth Dance Festival Committee.
d) The Complaints Panel will be chaired by a member of the Board of Trustees who will be responsible for selecting the appropriate panel to consider the complaint.
e) Your complaint will be dealt with as soon as the relevant members of the panel can be brought together to consider the complaint. Our aim is to have an outcome/decision within 4 weeks. If the complaint is complex or additional information is needed, the timescale may need to be increased. We will keep you updated if this is the case.
f) You should be aware that the complaint will be discussed with the respondent, who will have the opportunity to present a written response to the complaint. This will also be provided to the Complaints Panel. As stated above, confidentiality will be maintained when doing this unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so.
g) Once the issue has been considered by the Complaints Panel, you will receive a written response within 7 working days of the Panel reaching a decision.
Stage Three – Referral to The British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech (BIFF)
We hope that our Complaints Panel can resolve your complaint in an open and satisfactory way. If, after receiving a written response from us, you still feel that your complaint is unresolved, you can ask for the matter to be referred to The British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech (BIFF) for their consideration.
Weymouth Dance Festival 