As of August 2025, anyone with an issue to raise not related to Code of Conduct breaches can do so through our new Complaints procedure.

The below Complaints procedure was authored by current chair George Armstrong, with editorial guidance from other committee members.

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FOCAL Complaints Procedure

Role of Complaints Handler

The Chairperson of FOCAL (“the Chair”) shall establish an email address – focalcomplaints@gmail.com – dedicated to comments, complaints and queries about the services which FOCAL provides and the persons it enlists to do so.

The Complaints Handler (“the Handler”) is appointed by the Chair to review, assess and respond to comments, complaints and queries (hereafter referred to as “inbound correspondence”), through this email address. The Handler is appointed on a fixed term offered by the Chair and accepted by the Handler. The Chair shall set the password to the account for the email address and provide this confidentially to the Handler.

Where inbound correspondence requires a response, the Handler shall in the first instance (“Stage 0”) provide:
1. A handling reference number in an acknowledgement response within five calendar days from receipt.
2. Substantive response within ten calendar days from receipt (i.e. not in addition to the five calendar days in which the acknowledgement response is sent), confirmation where necessary that the matter should be or is being discussed on a phone call or video call, before sending a substantive response (as above).

If the substantive response can be provided within five calendar days, then an acknowledgement response is not necessary.

Acknowledgement responses and substantive responses are deemed “outbound correspondence”, therefore phone or video calls serve to support outbound correspondence but do not replace them.

Tracker log

The Handler is responsible for maintaining a tracker log showing:
1. Who has submitted inbound correspondence, including their name (where given) and their contact email address.
2. A summary of the subject of the correspondence.
3. When the inbound correspondence was received.
4. By what date an acknowledgement response is due.
5. By what date a substantive response is due.

The time by which a response is due shall be 23:59, on the date required.

The tracker log is a spreadsheet document hosted by the Chair on Microsoft Sharepoint, Google Sheets or a similar web-based platform. It is a password-protected document, in order that FOCAL can demonstrate and uphold the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The Chair shall set the password and provide this to the Handler. The Chair and Handler shall be the only two users with editing rights in the tracker log.
Where the Chair deems that another member of the Committee requires access to the tracker log, only viewing rights shall be assigned and for a specific purpose which the Chair can define in terms of that principle of GDPR.

Classification of correspondence – Stages 0, 1 & 2

The tracker log shall show:
1. Whether the Handler is providing an acknowledgement response and/or a substantive response (Stage 0).
2. In the event that the Stage 0 reply is unsatisfactory, that the Handler shall provide a further substantive response to address the concern (Stage 1).
3. In the event that the Stage 1 reply is unsatisfactory, that the Chair shall provide a final substantive response to address the concern (Stage 2).
4. If the matter should be or is being discussed at any stage on a phone call or video call, before sending a substantive response (as above).

If further inbound correspondence moves the Handler to Stage 1:
1. The same handling reference number shall be maintained in an acknowledgement response within five calendar days from receipt.
2. A further substantive response shall be provided by the Handler within ten calendar days from receipt.

If further inbound correspondence requires the Chair to escalate to Stage 2:
1. The same handling reference number shall be maintained in an acknowledgement response within five calendar days.
2. A final substantive response shall be provided by the Chair within ten calendar days.

Reporting to FOCAL Committee

On a routine schedule to be agreed between the Chair and the Handler, the Handler shall provide a summary report to the FOCAL Committee (“the Committee”) including and not necessarily limited to:
1. The number of complaints received and resolved or to be resolved at Stage 0, summarising the main themes in correspondence.
2. The number of complaints received and resolved or to be resolved at Stage 1, summarising the main themes which required further investigation.
3. The number of complaints received at Stage 2, upon which the Chair has resolved or shall need to resolve.

The Chair shall determine whether the summary report requires broader, strategic or other interventions so that FOCAL can provide and demonstrate high standards of service to organisers, participants and other stakeholders.

Governance

This proposal was published on 20 July 2026; its recommendations and resources shall be implemented on a date chosen by the Chair.

Its implementation shall then be reviewed on a further date chosen by the Chair, aligning with the length of the fixed term for the Handler and the frequency with which summary reports must be provided .

Upon review, the Chair shall determine whether the fixed term which the Handler has served be:
1. Renewed for the same length.
2. Extended for a shorter length, subject to further monitoring.
3. Terminated with notice, in order that the Chair can appoint a replacement Handler.
4. Terminated without notice, if the Chair can appoint another member of the Committee to fulfil, temporarily, the Handler role.

Where and whyever the Handler can no longer fulfil their role during their fixed term:
1. A notice period shall allow the Chair to appoint a replacement Handler.
2. No notice period shall require the Chair to appoint another member of the Committee to fulfil, temporarily, the Handler role.

In the event of cessation of duties by the Handler, with or without notice, the Chair shall:
1. Change the password to the email account,
2. Change the password to the tracker log,
3. No notice period shall require the Chair to appoint another member of the Committee to fulfil, temporarily, the Handler role.

George Armstrong
Chair, FOCAL
1 August 2026