1. Introduction
Shipston-on-Stour Tennis Club wants everyone to enjoy their tennis in a safe, welcoming and friendly environment. Most concerns can be sorted out quickly and informally with a quiet word. Where that is not possible, this procedure explains how a member can raise a complaint, and how the club will deal with it fairly and consistently.
The club is an LTA registered venue. Everyone involved in tennis, including members, guests, volunteers, committee members, coaches and officials, is bound by the LTA Code of Conduct and the LTA Disciplinary Code. This procedure sits alongside those and follows LTA good practice for handling complaints at a club.
2. What this procedure covers
This procedure applies where a member wishes to raise a concern about someone’s conduct or behaviour at the club. This might be, for example, behaviour that is unsafe, unfair, discriminatory, offensive or intimidating, or a breach of the club’s rules, its Code of Conduct, or the LTA Code of Conduct.
Some matters are dealt with in other ways:
- Safeguarding. If your concern is about the safety or welfare of a child or an adult at risk, it should be raised straight away with the Club Welfare Officer. Serious safeguarding concerns will be referred to the LTA Safeguarding Team and, where necessary, to the Police or Children’s or Adults’ Social Care. Do not delay a safeguarding concern by working through the complaints steps first.
- LTA competitions. Concerns about an LTA sanctioned competition should be raised with the competition referee or organiser at the time.
- Coach employment or engagement. Matters about the employment or engagement of a coach are handled under the relevant contract or the club’s own arrangements.
3. Our principles
- You have the right to complain, and you will not be treated unfairly or disadvantaged for raising a genuine concern in good faith.
- Everyone will be treated equally, regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.
- Complaints will be dealt with fairly, openly and without unreasonable delay.
- Anyone the complaint is about will be told what has been raised and given a fair chance to respond, unless doing so would put someone at risk.
- Information will be kept confidential as far as reasonably possible and handled in line with data protection law.
4. Step one: informal resolution
It is often best to start by speaking to the person concerned, if you feel able to, or to a member of the committee or the Club Welfare Officer. Many issues can be resolved quickly and informally this way, and this is usually the fastest route to a good outcome.
If you would rather not raise it directly, or an informal conversation has not resolved things, you can move to a formal complaint.
5. Step two: making a formal complaint
A formal complaint should be made in writing to the eommittee. Please include as much detail as you can:
- what happened, with dates, times and places
- who was involved and the names of any witnesses
- whether you have already tried to resolve it informally
- what you would like to happen to put things right
The club can accept anonymous complaints, but these are much harder to look into properly, so please give your name and as much information as possible where you can.
You will normally receive acknowledgement of your written complaint within 7 working days.
6. How the club will handle your complaint
Your complaint will be looked at by a small group of committee members or club officials. The club will make sure, as far as possible, that this group does not include anyone who is directly involved in the complaint. If the complaint concerns a committee member, that person will take no part in handling it.
The club will:
- give you a named point of contact for the duration of the process
- gather any information that is relevant, which may include speaking to those involved and any witnesses
- where fairness requires it, share relevant information with the person complained about so they can respond, unless this would put someone’s safety or welfare at risk
- keep you updated on progress, normally at least every two weeks, and let you know if there is any delay
In some cases the club may decide it cannot take a complaint further, for example where there is not enough information, or where the matter falls outside the club’s control. If so, you will be told the reasons.
7. Possible outcomes
Once the complaint has been considered, the club may decide on one or more of the following:
- no further action is needed
- the matter is resolved informally, for example through an apology, a conversation or a change to how something is done at the club
- formal disciplinary action is taken under the club’s rules (see section 8)
- a change is made to a club arrangement, contract or activity
- the matter is referred to another organisation, such as the LTA, the County Association, the Police or Social Care
If your complaint leads to formal disciplinary action against someone, the club will usually let you know the outcome, while respecting the confidentiality owed to the other person.
8. Disciplinary action by the club
Where the club decides that a member has breached the club’s rules, its Code of Conduct or the LTA Code of Conduct, the committee may take disciplinary action that is fair and proportionate to what has happened. Before any formal disciplinary decision is made, the member concerned will be:
- told in writing what the complaint against them is
- given a reasonable opportunity to respond, in writing or at a meeting of the committee
- allowed to be accompanied by a fellow member at any such meeting
Depending on the seriousness of the matter, the committee may decide on:
- an informal word or written reminder about expected standards
- a formal warning
- suspension of playing or membership rights for a set period
- in the most serious cases, expulsion from membership
More serious sanctions such as lengthy suspension or expulsion will be handled with particular care and, where the club’s constitution requires it, referred to the committee for approval. The member will be given written notice of any meeting at which their suspension or expulsion is to be considered, together with details of the complaint, and an opportunity to put their case.
9. Appeals
If you are unhappy with how your complaint has been handled, or if you are the subject of disciplinary action and believe the decision is wrong or unfair, you may appeal in writing to within 7 working days of being told the outcome.
The appeal will be considered by people who were not involved in the original decision, for example an Appeals Committee or the General Committee, in line with the club’s constitution. The outcome of the appeal will be confirmed in writing and is the final stage of the club’s own process.
10. Referring a matter to the LTA or County Association
Most concerns can and should be resolved at club level. However, some matters can be referred beyond the club:
- If your complaint is about the committee itself, or cannot be resolved within the club, you may raise it with the relevant County Association. For Shipston-on-Stour this is Warwickshire; current contact details can be found via the LTA website, and you may wish to confirm them before making contact.
- Serious breaches of the LTA Code of Conduct or LTA Disciplinary Code, and serious safeguarding matters, may be referred to the LTA. The LTA has its own Disciplinary Code, under which serious cases can be considered by an independent tribunal.
- If you need help finding the right person, the LTA Customer Support Team can point you in the right direction.
The club will co operate fully with any process run by the LTA or the County Association.
11. Compliments and feedback
We also like to hear when things are going well. Compliments and suggestions are welcome and help the club improve. Please pass these to the committee and they will be shared with the committee and with anyone concerned.
12. Records and confidentiality
The club will keep a written record of formal complaints and their outcomes. Records will be kept confidential, stored securely, and held only for as long as necessary in line with data protection law and the club’s privacy policy.