LEP CONFIDENTIAL COMPLAINTS POLICY

Local Enterprise Partnership Governance Framework | Confidential Complaints Policy

Section 1: Context

South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are private sector led voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses set up in 2010 by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills to help determine local economic priorities and lead economic growth and job creation within the local area.

South Yorkshire LEP works in partnership with the Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) to ensure that policy and decisions receive the input and views of key business leaders and the wider business community. Working with the MCA, and in tandem with central Government, the LEP’s objective is to grow the economy of the region.

Section 2. Introduction - Confidential reporting of complaints

The South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) is committed to creating a work environment with the highest possible standards of openness, probity and accountability. In view of this commitment we encourage employees and others with serious concerns about any aspect of the LEP’s work to come forward and voice those concerns without fear of reprisal.

For employees and those working closely with the LEP, please follow the whistleblowing policy (PDF, 132kb)

For third parties and members of the public, please follow the confidential complaints procedure outlined from section 3 onwards on this page.

If a member of the public or third party believes that their complaint fits the description below, they may report their concerns through the whistleblowing policy procedure (PDF, 132kb)

Whistleblowing - where an individual who has concerns about a danger, risk, contravention of rules or illegality provides useful information to address this. In doing so they are acting in the wider public interest, usually because it threatens others or impacts on public funds. By contrast, a grievance or private complaint is a dispute about the individual’s own position and has no or very limited public interest.

Section 3. Confidentiality

If a member of the public or a third party wants to make a confidential complaint or raise a concern, it will be treated in confidence and every effort will be made to protect the person’s identity if they wish to remain anonymous. The LEP will investigate all complaints or allegations.

Section 4. Anonymous allegations

The LEP takes all complaints and concerns raised by members of the public and third parties seriously. We will investigate anonymous allegations. However, we remind complainants that when people put their names to an allegation the ability to investigate and therefore reach firm conclusions is strengthened. Concerns expressed anonymously will be considered at the discretion of the LEP. When exercising this discretion, the factors to be considered would include:

• the seriousness of the issue raised;

• the credibility of the concern;

• and the likelihood of confirming the allegation from attributable sources.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) may request information arising from this process if they have concerns regarding a LEP or have been approached with similar complaints. The expectation is that this information will be provided on an anonymous basis. However, it may be necessary to provide personal details to progress a complaint.

Where details are gathered, the LEP will put in place appropriate data protection arrangements in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

Section 5. Contacts for Complaints

The LEP is aware that the organisation’s ordinary complaints procedure may not be suitable if someone wants the complaint to remain confidential. If you would like to make a confidential complaint, please write or email to:

Dr Dave Smith
Chief Executive
South Yorkshire LEP
11 Broad Street West
Sheffield S1 2BQ

Email: Dave.smith@southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk

Dr Ruth Adams
Deputy Chief Executive
South Yorkshire LEP
11 Broad Street West
Sheffield S1 2BQ

Email: Ruth.adams@southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk

Section 6. Action taken by the LEP

Stage One

The designated complaints officer will raise your concern and investigate the complaint. You can expect the officer to:

• Contact you within 10 clear working days to acknowledge the complaint and discuss the appropriate course of action.

• Write to you within 28 clear working days with findings of the investigation. If the investigation has not concluded within 28 clear working days, the officer will write to you to give reasons for the delay in resolving the complaint.

• Take the necessary steps to rectify the issue.

You can escalate your concerns through the mechanisms mentioned in the general complaints procedure which can be found on the website.

Stage Two

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint or the complaint involves those responsible for the confidential complaints procedure you should escalate the complaint to the LEPs Accountable Body, which is the Mayoral Combined Authority, and follow their complaints procedure. The Accountable Body has a duty to ensure that the LEP has followed its complaint procedure correctly and has their own complaints procedures in place.

Stage Three

If you are either unable to raise the matter with the LEP or you are dissatisfied with the action taken, you can report it direct to the Cities and Local Growth Unit in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, at the following email address:
localgrowthassurance@communities.gsi.gov.uk or by writing to:

EP Compliance Deputy Director
Cities and Local Growth Unit
Fry Block
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
 

You should clearly mark your email or letter as “Official - complaints”.

If you would like help making a complaint, you can contact your local councillor or MP.

You can also get help from a specialist advice agency or organisation with represents people, such as a Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

Section 7. Review

Any feedback or comments on this policy should be directed to the LEP’s Responsible Officer via email to: Ruth.adams@southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk. This policy will be reviewed annually. 

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