Millom Town Council
Millom Town Council was formed in 1974 when the parish boundaries changed from Cumberland.
Our grievance procedure is designed to ensure that any questions or problems you may have at work are quickly aired and resolved fairly and consistently. This procedure is non contractual but is designed to indicate how such matters should be dealt with at Millom Town Council.
This procedure covers all employees and workers, including those on casual contracts.
This procedure aims to encourage the early resolution of any work-related issues, and to ensure that these are resolved fairly and consistently. Grievances may relate to action which has already been taken or which is contemplated in relation to an employee, or may include the actions of a third party such as a colleague. They may also relate to a wide range of issues including terms and conditions of employment, health and safety at work, work relations, new working practices, working environment, organisation change or equal opportunities issues. The focus of the grievance procedure is to achieve resolution, not to apportion blame.
Our grievance procedure enables grievances to be raised and settled as quickly as possible. Issues should be resolved without a formal procedure, however should an informal approach not result in the required resolution then the following procedure should be used:
If you have a grievance relating to your employment, and you have not been able to resolve it informally, please set out in writing the details of your grievance, giving full details of your complaint and the resolution being sought, and send this to the Clerk of the Council, for the attention of the HR Committee. Your letter should be dated and should state that you are raising a formal grievance under our grievance procedure. We will respond to you as soon as is practicable and will meet with you to hear your grievance. At this meeting you will be given full opportunity to state your case.
After giving full consideration to the points you have raised, and carried out any further investigations if necessary, then we will confirm the outcome in writing, confirming any action we intend to take to resolve your grievance, together with your right to appeal against this outcome. Your appeal should be received by the nominated person within seven calendar days of the receipt of our letter.
Failing a satisfactory solution at stage one, you may appeal to the Chair of the Council. Again you should do this in writing if possible. The person(s) hearing your appeal will arrange to meet with you as soon as is practicable to discuss your grievance and you will again be given the opportunity to state your case. The person(s) will attempt to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of both you and the Council. Whatever decision is taken will be final and confirmed to you in writing.
Grievances should be raised and the above procedure followed without reasonable delay at any stage.
At all formal stages of this procedure, the person hearing a grievance is advised to be accompanied by another member of Millom Town Council who will act as witness and take full notes on everything said. Where no internal person of sufficient seniority or confidential status is available, an external party may be invited to attend.
At all stages in this procedure, you may choose, if you wish, to be accompanied by either a fellow worker, a trade union representative, or an official employed by a trade union. You should inform the person who is conducting the hearing whom you have chosen as your companion.
The companion is there to act as a witness to what was said, to provide moral support and to assist and advise you in presenting your case. He or she may ask questions on your behalf and confer with you but not answer questions on your behalf.
You should make every effort to attend the meeting, if for some reason this does not happen, then we will attempt to re-arrange the date within seven days of the original scheduled date.
Meetings will be confidential, and held in a private location without any interruptions.
The person conducting the meeting may adjourn the meeting at any stage in order to calm a situation, check facts or take advice.
To ensure that any issue raised is resolved effectively, all parties should adhere to the following guidelines:
Notes will be made of all meetings held under the grievance procedure, one copy being to you and one placed in your personnel file. Such documents are regarded as confidential.
Ex-employees may also raise grievances at any time up to three months after their employment has ended.
If your complaint relates to your dissatisfaction with the dismissal decision, you should not invoke the grievance procedure but instead appeal against that decision in accordance with our disciplinary procedure.
This procedure will take effect from 27th February 2020. The Chair of the Council has overall responsibility for implementing and monitoring this procedure, which will be reviewed on an annual basis, and may be changed from time to time.
Signed: __________________________________________
Chair of Millom Town Council
Dated: 27th February 2020
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