Complaints Policy

1. Our Commitment

The Hidden Beach Organisation CIC is committed to providing high-quality, welcoming and inclusive events, activities and services.

We recognise that sometimes things may go wrong or someone may be dissatisfied with an experience, decision or service.

We welcome reasonable feedback and complaints. Complaints give us an opportunity to address problems, understand people's experiences and improve the way we work.

We aim to deal with complaints fairly, respectfully, consistently and within a reasonable timeframe.

No person should be treated unfairly because they have made a genuine complaint in good faith.

2. Purpose of This Policy

This policy explains:

• who can make a complaint;
• what can be complained about;
• how to raise a concern or complaint;
• how Hidden Beach will respond;
• expected response times;
• how complaints will be investigated;
• what to do if someone remains dissatisfied; and
• how we use complaints to improve our organisation.

3. Who Can Make a Complaint?

A complaint may be made by anyone affected by Hidden Beach's activities, including:

• event attendees and members of the public;
• artists and performers;
• traders and stallholders;
• volunteers;
• contractors and suppliers;
• community organisations;
• partner organisations;
• participants in our activities; and
• parents or carers raising a concern relating to their child.

Where appropriate, someone may make a complaint on behalf of another person with their agreement.

4. What Can a Complaint Be About?

Complaints may concern matters including:

• the standard of a Hidden Beach service or activity;
• the organisation or management of an event;
• communication;
• accessibility;
• the conduct of someone representing Hidden Beach;
• treatment by a member of staff or volunteer;
• trader or performer administration;
• decisions made by Hidden Beach;
• failure to follow an organisational policy or procedure;
• unreasonable delays;
• information provided by us; or
• another aspect of someone's experience with Hidden Beach.

Simply disagreeing with a reasonable organisational, programming, operational or commercial decision will not necessarily mean that Hidden Beach has acted improperly.

However, we will consider concerns about how a decision was reached or communicated.

5. Matters Covered by Other Procedures

Some concerns require a different response and should not wait for the normal complaints procedure.

Safeguarding

Concerns involving the safety or welfare of a child, young person or adult at risk will be dealt with under Hidden Beach's Safeguarding Policy.

Where appropriate, they will be referred immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Emergencies or Criminal Matters

If somebody is in immediate danger, call 999.

Allegations of serious criminal behaviour may be referred to the police or another appropriate authority.

Employment Matters

Employment grievances or disciplinary matters involving employees may be handled under appropriate internal employment procedures rather than this public complaints process.

Legal or Regulatory Matters

Where a complaint concerns an issue that is subject to legal proceedings, an insurance claim or investigation by another authority, Hidden Beach may need to modify or suspend its own investigation.

6. How to Make a Complaint

We encourage people to raise problems as soon as reasonably possible so that they can be addressed effectively.

Complaints can be sent to:

hello@hiddenbeach.uk

Please include, where possible:

• your name and contact details;
• what happened;
• when and where it happened;
• the event, project or activity concerned;
• the names of people involved, if known;
• any relevant supporting information; and
• what you would like Hidden Beach to consider doing to resolve the matter.

A complaint does not need to use formal or legal language.

We are interested in understanding what happened and what the complainant believes went wrong.

7. Stage One – Raising an Issue

Where appropriate, we encourage concerns to be raised informally first.

Many problems can be resolved quickly through explanation, clarification, correction or practical action.

For example, an issue at an event may be capable of being resolved by speaking to an appropriate member of the event team.

Where an issue can be resolved satisfactorily at this stage, no formal investigation may be necessary.

A person may still make a formal complaint if the matter is serious, cannot reasonably be resolved informally or they remain dissatisfied.

8. Stage Two – Formal Complaint

Formal complaints should normally be sent to hello@hiddenbeach.uk.

We aim to acknowledge a formal complaint within 5 working days.

The acknowledgement may confirm that the complaint has been received, request additional information, explain who will consider the complaint, and provide an indication of when a response can be expected.

We aim to provide a substantive response within 20 working days of receiving sufficient information to consider the complaint.

Some complaints may take longer because of their complexity, the number of people involved or the need to obtain information from third parties.

If additional time is reasonably required, we will aim to explain this to the complainant.

9. Investigating a Complaint

The level of investigation will be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the complaint.

This may include reviewing correspondence, speaking with the complainant, speaking with staff, volunteers or other people involved, reviewing event or organisational records, considering photographs, video or other available evidence, checking relevant policies or procedures, and obtaining information from contractors or partner organisations where appropriate.

We will seek to approach complaints fairly and without reaching conclusions before considering the relevant information.

10. Fairness

Where a complaint makes a significant allegation about an identifiable person, that person should normally be given an appropriate opportunity to respond.

The complainant's account will be taken seriously, but making an allegation does not automatically establish that the allegation is correct.

We will consider the information reasonably available before reaching conclusions.

11. Conflicts of Interest

Where practicable, a person should not be responsible for determining a serious complaint about their own conduct.

If a complaint concerns the person who would normally handle it, it should be referred to another appropriate Director or responsible person.

12. Complaint Outcomes

Following consideration of a complaint, Hidden Beach may uphold the complaint, uphold it in part, not uphold it, determine that there is insufficient information to reach a conclusion, or determine that another process or organisation should deal with the matter.

Where appropriate, our response will explain the outcome and the reasons for it.

13. Putting Things Right

Where we identify that something has gone wrong, appropriate action may include:

• an explanation;
• an apology;
• correcting inaccurate information;
• resolving an administrative problem;
• reviewing a decision;
• improving communication;
• changing a procedure;
• providing additional guidance or training;
• reviewing an event management arrangement; or
• taking another reasonable and proportionate action.

An apology does not necessarily mean that Hidden Beach accepts legal liability.

14. Stage Three – Review

If a complainant remains dissatisfied after receiving the formal response, they may request a review.

The request should explain why they believe the original complaint was not adequately addressed.

Where reasonably practicable, the review will be undertaken by a Director or other appropriate person who was not responsible for the original decision.

The purpose of the review is normally to consider whether the complaint was handled fairly, relevant information was considered, the policy was followed, and the outcome was reasonable based on the information available.

A review is not necessarily a complete reinvestigation of every aspect of the original complaint.

The outcome of the review will normally represent the end of Hidden Beach's internal complaints process.

15. Anonymous Complaints

Anonymous complaints may be considered where sufficient information is provided to identify and investigate a genuine concern.

However, anonymity can sometimes make it difficult to investigate allegations, obtain additional information or communicate an outcome.

Serious safeguarding or safety concerns will be considered regardless of whether the person reporting them identifies themselves.

16. Accessibility and Assistance

We want our complaints process to be accessible.

If someone has difficulty making a complaint in writing because of disability, communication needs or another reasonable barrier, we will consider appropriate assistance or an alternative way for them to communicate their complaint.

Requests for assistance can be made through hello@hiddenbeach.uk.

17. Complaints Involving Children or Adults at Risk

Any complaint containing information suggesting that a child, young person or adult at risk may have been harmed or may be at risk of harm will be considered immediately from a safeguarding perspective.

The matter may be transferred to the safeguarding procedure rather than continuing through the normal complaints timetable.

Safeguarding concerns take priority over normal complaint response times.

18. Behaviour Towards Staff and Volunteers

Hidden Beach welcomes complaints and recognises that people may be upset, frustrated or disappointed when raising them.

We will make reasonable efforts to communicate respectfully even where there is disagreement.

We also expect people making complaints to communicate appropriately with our staff and volunteers.

Threatening, abusive, discriminatory, intimidating or seriously offensive behaviour will not be accepted.

Such behaviour will not automatically invalidate a legitimate complaint, but Hidden Beach may place reasonable limits on how communication takes place in order to protect staff and volunteers.

19. Persistent or Unreasonable Complaints

Occasionally, the way a complaint is pursued may become unreasonable, for example through excessive repetition, abusive communications or repeated demands to reconsider a matter after the complaints procedure has been completed without presenting significant new information.

Where this occurs, Hidden Beach may nominate a single point of contact, limit communication to a particular method, set reasonable boundaries around the frequency of correspondence, or confirm that the matter is closed unless significant new information is provided.

These measures will only be used where reasonably necessary and will not prevent legitimate new concerns, particularly safeguarding or safety concerns, from being considered.

20. Complaints About Traders, Performers or Contractors

Hidden Beach events may involve independent traders, performers, contractors, venues and partner organisations.

Where a complaint relates primarily to the independent activities of another organisation or business, we may direct the complainant to that organisation.

Where the matter also concerns Hidden Beach's responsibilities, event management or safeguarding arrangements, we may consider those aspects ourselves.

21. Confidentiality

Complaints will be handled with appropriate sensitivity.

Information will normally only be shared with people who reasonably need it in order to understand, investigate or respond to the complaint.

Absolute confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed.

Information may need to be shared where required by law or where necessary to protect a person from harm, investigate serious misconduct or obtain appropriate professional advice.

22. Data Protection

Personal information relating to complaints will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection requirements and Hidden Beach's relevant privacy arrangements.

Complaint information should only be retained for as long as there is an appropriate organisational, safeguarding, legal or regulatory reason to retain it.

23. Record Keeping

Hidden Beach will maintain appropriate records of formal complaints.

Records may include the nature of the complaint, relevant correspondence, information considered, actions taken, the outcome, any review, and improvements identified as a result.

Access to complaint records will be appropriately restricted.

24. Learning From Complaints

Complaints are an important source of feedback.

Where appropriate, Hidden Beach will consider whether a complaint identifies recurring problems, weaknesses in procedures, communication problems, accessibility barriers, training requirements, event management improvements, or opportunities to improve the experience of people engaging with us.

We may review complaint trends without identifying individual complainants.

25. Equality

Complaints will be considered fairly and without unlawful discrimination.

Nobody should receive less favourable treatment when making or responding to a complaint because of a protected characteristic or other irrelevant personal factor.

This policy should be read alongside Hidden Beach's Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy.

26. Safeguarding

Nothing in this policy overrides Hidden Beach's safeguarding responsibilities.

Where a complaint raises a safeguarding concern, protecting the child, young person or adult at risk takes priority over following the normal complaints process.

Hidden Beach's Safeguarding Policy should be followed in those circumstances.

27. Responsibility for This Policy

The Directors of The Hidden Beach Organisation CIC have overall responsibility for the complaints procedure.

People managing individual projects and events should ensure that complaints and significant concerns are appropriately recorded and escalated.

28. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner where significant organisational, legal or operational changes make this necessary.

Organisation: The Hidden Beach Organisation CIC Policy: Complaints Policy Complaints contact: hello@hiddenbeach.uk Effective: September 2026 Next review: September 2027