1. Policy statement

Peckham Platform is committed to high-quality, inclusive and accountable practice. Comments, compliments and complaints are an important source of feedback and learning. We welcome feedback about our work and will use it to recognise good practice, address concerns, improve services and strengthen organisational learning.

We will handle complaints fairly, respectfully, proportionately and as transparently as possible. Making a complaint will not result in a person being treated less favourably or adversely because they have raised a concern, supported another person to complain or participated in an investigation.

2. Purpose and scope

This policy explains how people can provide comments and compliments or make a complaint about Peckham Platform’s activities, services, programmes, decisions, actions or omissions, or the conduct of someone acting on its behalf.

It is available to programme participants, audiences, applicants, artists, freelancers, collaborators, partners, funders, suppliers, visitors, parents/carers and members of the public.

Complaints by employees about their employment should normally be addressed through the appropriate employment procedure, such as grievance, dignity at work/anti-harassment or whistleblowing. Where a concern also raises safeguarding, discrimination, harassment, serious misconduct or public-interest issues, the appropriate procedure may operate alongside or instead of this policy.

Peckham Platform may adapt the procedure where this is reasonable and fair, for example where a complaint is particularly serious, complex, sensitive, involves a conflict of interest, or is being considered by another statutory or regulatory body.

3. Definitions

Comment

A suggestion, observation or other feedback about Peckham Platform’s work that does not require investigation as a complaint.

Compliment

Positive feedback about Peckham Platform’s work or about an individual, team, artist, freelancer, partner or activity.

Complaint

An expression of dissatisfaction about Peckham Platform’s activities, services, decisions, actions or omissions, or the conduct of someone acting on its behalf, where the person wishes Peckham Platform to respond or take action. A person does not need to use the word ‘complaint’ for their concern to be treated as one.

4. Principles

• Feedback will be welcomed and treated as an opportunity for learning and improvement.
• The process will be fair, accessible, proportionate and transparent.
• Complainants will be treated with dignity, respect and courtesy.
• Making a complaint in good faith will not prejudice access to Peckham Platform’s activities or services.
• Complaints will be considered by people with appropriate authority and sufficient independence from the matters complained about.
• Conflicts of interest will be identified and managed.
• Information will be shared only where necessary and handled in accordance with data protection and safeguarding requirements.
• Peckham Platform will explain outcomes clearly and, where appropriate, identify remedies, interventions or learning.
• Reasonable adjustments and communication support will be provided where required.
• Complaints involving discrimination, harassment, safeguarding or other serious concerns will be directed to the appropriate procedure.

5. How to provide feedback or make a complaint

Comments, compliments and complaints may be made in writing, by email, by telephone or, where appropriate, verbally. Peckham Platform will ensure that verbal complaints are recorded accurately.

It is useful to provide, where possible:

• what happened and what the concern is;
• relevant dates, locations, projects or events;
• the names or roles of people involved, where known;
• the impact of what happened;
• any steps already taken to resolve the issue; and
• what outcome or remedy the complainant is seeking.

A complaint should normally be raised within three months of the event, or of the complainant becoming aware of the matter. Peckham Platform may consider an older complaint where there is a good reason for delay, the matter is serious, or it remains reasonably possible to investigate fairly.

Anonymous complaints

Anonymous complaints will be considered where sufficient information is available to understand and assess the concern. The ability to investigate or provide an outcome may be limited where the complainant cannot be contacted.

Complaints made on behalf of someone else

A representative, advocate, friend, family member or support worker may help someone make a complaint. Where the complaint is made on another person’s behalf, Peckham Platform may need appropriate consent before discussing personal information, unless another lawful basis for sharing applies.

6. Stage 1 – Early or informal resolution

Where appropriate and where the complainant is comfortable doing so, a concern may be addressed through early or informal resolution. A complainant will not be required to approach the person complained about.

A complaint may proceed directly to Stage 2 where the matter is serious or sensitive, involves a significant power imbalance, concerns discrimination, harassment, safeguarding, senior leadership or governance, or where informal resolution would otherwise be inappropriate.

Stage 1 complaints will normally be acknowledged within 3 working days and responded to within 10 working days. Where more time is required, the complainant will be told why, given an update and provided with a revised expected response date.

7. Stage 2 – Formal complaint

A complainant may request a formal investigation if they are dissatisfied with Stage 1, prefer not to use informal resolution, or the nature of the complaint requires formal consideration.

Formal complaints will normally be acknowledged within 3 working days. Peckham Platform will confirm the issues to be considered, the person responsible for handling the complaint and the expected timescale.

The complaint will be considered by a person who is sufficiently independent of the matters complained about and has no material conflict of interest. Depending on the circumstances, Peckham Platform may appoint a manager, Trustee or external independent person to investigate or review the complaint.

The investigator may speak with the complainant and relevant people, review documents and other available evidence, and seek clarification where necessary. The process will be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the complaint.

A written Stage 2 response will normally be provided within 20 working days of acknowledgement. It will explain the issues considered, the findings and reasons, and any remedy, action or organisational learning that can appropriately be shared. Where the timescale cannot be met, the complainant will receive an explanation, progress update and revised expected date.

8. Stage 3 – Review or appeal

If the complainant remains dissatisfied with the Stage 2 response, they may request a Stage 3 review. The request should normally be made within 10 working days of the Stage 2 response and should explain the grounds for review.

A review may be requested where:

• material evidence was not considered;
• the procedure was not followed fairly;
• the conclusions were not reasonably supported by the evidence considered; or
• there is relevant new evidence that could not reasonably have been provided earlier.

The Stage 3 reviewer will, wherever practicable, not have made the Stage 2 decision and will have sufficient authority and independence to review it. The reviewer may uphold the original decision, vary it, require further enquiries or identify additional action.

A final written response will normally be provided within 30 working days of receiving the review request. This concludes Peckham Platform’s internal complaints procedure.

9. Complaints involving particular people or issues

Peckham Platform will ensure that complaints are not investigated or decided by a person who is the subject of the complaint or has a material conflict of interest.

• Complaints about an employee, freelancer, artist, volunteer or contractor will normally be handled by an appropriate manager or other independent person.
• Complaints about the Executive Director will normally be referred to the Chair or another authorised Trustee.
• Complaints about a Trustee will normally be referred to the Chair.
• Complaints about the Chair will be referred to another authorised independent Trustee.
• Where appropriate, an external independent investigator or reviewer may be appointed.

Where a complaint raises concerns that may require action under an employment, contractual or disciplinary process, Peckham Platform may use the relevant procedure. The complainant will be told, as far as reasonably possible, how their concern will be handled, but confidential employment or personal information about another person may not be disclosed.

10. Safeguarding, discrimination and other serious concerns

Safeguarding

Where a complaint raises a concern about the safety or welfare of a child, young person or adult at risk, Peckham Platform’s Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults at Risk Policy will be followed immediately. The safeguarding response must not be delayed while the complaints process is considered or completed.

Discrimination, harassment and victimisation

Peckham Platform will handle complaints fairly and without discrimination. We recognise that people’s experiences of services and their ability to raise concerns can be affected by disability, race, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, pregnancy or maternity, socioeconomic circumstances, language, neurodivergence and other aspects of identity and experience.

Complaints involving alleged discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, victimisation, racism or other discriminatory behaviour will be taken seriously and considered under the appropriate organisational policy and legal framework.

Whistleblowing and serious wrongdoing

Concerns raised by workers about serious wrongdoing in the public interest may fall within Peckham Platform’s Whistleblowing Policy rather than this complaints procedure. Where appropriate, the person raising the concern will be signposted to the relevant route.

11. Accessibility, reasonable adjustments and support

Peckham Platform wants the complaints process to be accessible. We will provide reasonable adjustments for disabled people and will consider other communication or accessibility needs, including alternative formats, interpretation, communication support, assistance to put a complaint in writing and additional time where appropriate.

A person may be supported by a representative, advocate, friend, family member or support worker when making a complaint, where appropriate.

A person’s communication style, literacy, language, disability, neurodivergence or distress must not be used to discount or minimise a complaint. We will focus on the substance of the concern and make reasonable efforts to understand it.

12. Confidentiality, data protection and records

Personal information collected during the complaints process will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, UK GDPR and Peckham Platform’s data protection arrangements.

Information will be shared on a need-to-know basis. Complete confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed, particularly where information must be shared to investigate fairly, safeguard someone, comply with the law or address serious wrongdoing.

Peckham Platform will maintain appropriate records of complaints, evidence considered, decisions, correspondence, outcomes and actions. Records will be stored securely and retained in accordance with the organisation’s retention arrangements.

13. Managing unreasonable behaviour

Peckham Platform recognises that people may be persistent when they feel strongly about a concern. We will not restrict access to the complaints process simply because a person is persistent, challenging or has made previous complaints.

Where behaviour becomes abusive, threatening, discriminatory, excessively repetitive or places unreasonable demands on staff, Peckham Platform may put proportionate communication arrangements in place. Any restriction will be based on behaviour rather than the fact that a complaint has been made, will take account of disability and other relevant circumstances, will be explained to the person and will be reviewed periodically.

14. Remedies, learning, monitoring and governance

Where a complaint is upheld or identifies a service failure, appropriate remedies may include an explanation, apology, correction, reconsideration of a decision, improvement to a process, staff or organisational learning, or other proportionate action.

Peckham Platform will maintain a central record of comments, compliments and complaints, including their subject, outcome, timescale and resulting actions. The nominated complaints lead will monitor the record and ensure agreed actions are followed up.

The Executive Team and Board will receive proportionate, anonymised information to identify themes, recurring concerns, equality or accessibility issues, areas of good practice and opportunities for organisational learning.

Where appropriate and proportionate, complaints data will be considered alongside EDIB monitoring to identify whether particular groups experience recurring barriers or poorer outcomes. Small-number data will be handled carefully to protect confidentiality.

Where a serious complaint or related issue may engage Charity Commission reporting obligations or Arts Council England funding requirements, the Executive Director and Board will consider whether regulatory or funder notification is required.

15. External routes

Peckham Platform’s Stage 3 decision normally concludes its internal complaints process. Depending on the nature of the concern, a person may have another external route available.

The Charity Commission regulates charities in England and Wales but does not act as an ombudsman for ordinary complaints about a charity’s standard of service or resolve every individual dispute. Serious concerns about matters such as significant harm, serious misconduct or mismanagement, significant loss of charity assets or illegal activity may fall within its regulatory remit.

Other concerns may fall within the remit of another body, for example the Police for suspected criminal activity, a safeguarding authority for safeguarding concerns, the Fundraising Regulator for fundraising complaints, or the Advertising Standards Authority for advertising complaints.

Peckham Platform will provide appropriate signposting where it is aware of a relevant external route.

16. Review and approval

This policy will be reviewed at least every two years and sooner where changes in legislation, regulatory or Arts Council England requirements, organisational learning, complaint trends or significant incidents indicate that revision is required.

Material revisions will be approved by the Board of Trustees.

Policy owner	Executive Director / nominated complaints lead
Approved by	Board of Trustees
Approval date	To be confirmed
Review frequency	At least every two years, and sooner where required
Applies to	External stakeholders and others providing feedback about Peckham Platform’s work
Related policies	Safeguarding; EDIB; Whistleblowing; Dignity at Work/Anti-Harassment; Data Protection; relevant employment procedures

Appendix 1 – Complaints process at a glance

Stage	Purpose	Acknowledgement	Response
Stage 1	Early/informal resolution	3 working days	10 working days
Stage 2	Formal investigation	3 working days	20 working days
Stage 3	Review/appeal	As soon as practicable	30 working days

If a complaint raises immediate safeguarding or serious safety concerns, follow the Safeguarding Policy or emergency route without waiting for the complaints stages.

Appendix 2 – Contact details

Contact	Purpose	Details
Peckham Platform feedback/complaints contact	Comments, compliments and complaints	info@peckhamplatform.com
Executive Director	Escalation / governance	headoffice@peckhamplatform.com
Chair / nominated Trustee	Complaints about Executive Director or governance	zeliewalker@gmail.com