Policy Statement

Essex Book Festival is committed to providing quality events. We actively seek feedback following events and encourage and welcome all views, comments, compliments and complaints to inform and continuously improve what we do.

The purpose of this policy is to explain how to give a compliment, pass on a comment, raise a concern or make a complaint. The policy also details how we handle, respond to and resolve issues.

Giving a Compliment

Essex Book Festival appreciates when an individual tells us that we do things well. All compliments are logged and shared with the individual/partner/venue highlighted.

Passing on a Comment

Comments or suggestions about any aspect of Essex Book Festival’s activities can be made by contacting the Festival Director by email: [email protected].

All comments and suggestions will normally be acknowledged within two working days and recorded on our Comments and Suggestions Register. Where the comment or suggestion requires follow up action this will be pursued within fourteen days.

How to Register your Concern or make a Complaint

1 Concerns and Complaints can be raised by contacting the Festival Director in writing by *email: [email protected]. All issues will normally be acknowledged within two working days. Where the concern requires follow up action or feedback, this will be undertaken within ten days.

2 If you are not satisfied with the response from the Festival Director, you should contact the Chair of Trustees who will ask the Nominated Trustee (Complaints) to consider the complaint and respond direct to you and report to the Chair and Trustees the outcome and recommended resolution. This stage will be completed within a further 28 days.

3 If you are still dissatisfied with the response from the Nominated Trustee (Complaints) the complaint will be referred to an independent person (appointed by the Association of Charitable Organisations) to review. The decision of the Independent Person will be final and binding. The report and recommendations of the Independent Person will be considered by the Trustees at its next meeting. This stage will be completed within a further 42 days.

*this address may be used for written letters but please note that it is a postal address which is not regularly attended:
Essex Book Festival
Centre for Creative Writing
University of Essex
Colchester
CO4 3SQ

Festival Director – Ros Green, [email protected]

Chair of Trustees – Peter Donaldson, [email protected]