Dumbarton Football Club - Sons of the Rock 1872

Club Charters

Dumbarton Football Club Supporters Charter

Dumbarton Football Club recognises the special bond between the Club and its supporters.

It recognises and respects the invaluable contribution the supporters make to the life of the Club. As such, the Club makes every effort to ensure that its policies and practices are open, accessible and communicated as effectively as possible with its supporters.

The Club will conduct an annual review of its customer charter and associated activities, and make changes as appropriate in line with the guidance from relevant governing bodies. Documentary evidence of this shall be included in the Club's audit submission.

Key Issues

1 Accessibility
2 Away Support
3 Loyalty & Membership
4 Consultation & Information
5 Community Activity
6 Merchandise
7 Staff Conduct
8 Customer Service

1. ACCESSIBILITY

1.1 Dumbarton FC continues to strive for wider access to matches by offering ...

1.1.1 The Club offers a broad range of ticket prices. Customers buying more expensive seats or packages enable us to charge other customers less for their tickets. From single match tickets and family tickets to corporate packages, a range of tickets are available.

1.1.2 More than 50 % of tickets to each game are made available to non-season ticket holders.

1.1.3 Concessions are available for senior citizens over 65 years of age, and for junior supporters, full-time students and disabled supporters. No seating offers a restricted view to supporters. (Our meaning of “restricted view” is where you have to move to gain an unrestricted view. Movement of the head to the side to gain a view is not considered a restricted view.)

1.1.4 Areas of the ground representing are made available for the exclusive use of family groups.

1.1.5 Support for disabled and visually impaired supporters and their carers. Our disability co-ordinator can be contacted at Strathclyde Homes Stadium on 01389 762569.

1.1.6 The Club offers free or reduced admission to replays of abandoned games. If a match is abandoned after spectators are admitted to the ground, but before kick-off, ticket holders are entitled to free admission to the re-arranged match or a total refund. If a match is abandoned after kick-off, spectators are entitled to reduced admission to the re-arranged match or a part refund.

1.1 Tickets for cup competitions are announced to supporters following discussions between the clubs. Away clubs will receive a minimum of 10 % of tickets, and tickets for Cup matches are usually offered to season ticket holders and official supporters clubs in the first instance, and then to the general public.

1.1.1 As a general rule, ticket refunds are only issued in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the club.

2. AWAY SUPPORT

2.1 The Club does not charge admission prices to supporters of a visiting club which are higher than those charged to our own supporters for comparable accommodation. In particular, our concessionary rates offered to senior citizens and junior supporters apply to supporters of a visiting club. The Club also intends to offer tickets for away visually impaired fans at the same admission price and with the same facilities as home fans.

2.2 The Club abides by the SPL and SFA rules governing the allocation of tickets to visiting clubs.

3. LOYALTY & MEMBERSHIP

3.1 The Club offers all Sons Supporters Trust members 10 % discount off all official club merchandise purchased at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium retail shop. Membership cards will be required for all purchases.

3.2 The Club organises and escorts mascots for every home fixture.

4. CONSULTATION & INFORMATION

4.1 The club has a member of the Sons Supporters Trust on the board of directors.

4.2 The Club publicises its position on major policy issues in a concise format in the club matchday programme, through the official club Internet website, and through press releases.

4.3 The Club is in regular consultation with shareholders, sponsors, the local authority, and other interested parties.

4.4 The Club gives the earliest possible notice of any changes to its ticketing policy and the reasons for the changes.

4.5 The Club will undertake research and consultation on the design and number of new strips.

5. COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

5.1 The Club supports activity in both the local community and the wider football community.

5.1.1The Club seeks to promote close links between the Club and its community and to introduce young people, male and female, to football as players and spectators.

5.2 The Club will support and work with outside agencies, especially disadvantaged groups (disabled, ethnic minorities and the unemployed.)

5.3 Regarding anti-racism initiatives, the Club supports the aims of leading initiatives such as "Show Racism The Red Card"
to tackle problems of racism in the game, working closely with The Racial Equality Council.

5.4 The Club supports pre-arranged stadium tours to all interested parties.

5.9 The Club supports local community and schools events that promote youth football and grass roots football.

6. MERCHANDISE

6.1 Both home and away replica strip designs will normally have a life span of at least one or two seasons, unless changes are enforced due to contractual obligations.

6.2 The Club intends to communicate with its supporters regarding new replica strip designs and prospective launch dates.

6.3 Future details of the next intended change of kits will be made available from the club shop.

6.4 The Club carries out its obligations to prevent price fixing in relation to the sale of replica strip.

6.5 The Club offers refunds on merchandise in accordance with its legal obligations.

6.6 The Club will not knowingly buy goods from any supplier or manufacturer who does not comply fully with the labour, safety and other relevant laws of the countries of manufacture with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, overtime, sick pay and holiday entitlement.

7. STAFF CONDUCT

7.1 It is the policy of the Club that there should be equal opportunity for all. This applies to external recruitment, internal appointment, terms of employment, conditions of service, and opportunity for training and promotion regardless of sex, marital status, creed or religion, colour, race, age, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic or national origin. Also, the Club is committed to the development and promotion of such equality of opportunity. The policy also applies equally to the treatment of our customers, clients and suppliers.

8. CUSTOMER SERVICE

Dumbarton Football Club...

8.1 strive to provide value for money in all areas of its business.

8.1.1 seeks to achieve the highest level of service

8.1.2 will treat all customers with respect and courtesy.

8.2 The Club responds promptly to any contact from a customer.

8.2.1 To avoid confusion, Dumbarton Football Club prefers all complaints to be made in writing by letter and will respond in form. In the first instance, we encourage customers to contact the club which is committed to acknowledge any letter of complaint within 3 working days of receipt and will endeavour to provide a full response within 10 days.

8.2.2 If your complaint has not been dealt with speedily and efficiently by the department concerned, then recourse is again in writing to The Chairman at Dumbarton FC as follows:

Dumbarton Football Club Ltd
Strathclyde Homes Stadium
Castle Street
Dumbarton
G82 1JJ
e-mail Chairman at Dumbarton FC

Equal Opportunities Policy

1. Dumbarton Football Club Limited (“The Club”) is committed to the development of positive policies to promote equal opportunity in all of its activities. The Club is an equal opportunities employer and will abide and adhere to the requirements of the Codes of Practice issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality.

2. All employees and members of staff are expected to abide by the requirements of the Race Relations Act 1976, the Sex Discrimination Act 1986 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Specifically, discrimination is prohibited by:

• Treating any individual on grounds of gender, colour, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability, less favourably than others.
• Expecting an individual solely on the grounds stated above to comply with requirements(s) for any reason whatsoever related to their employment or membership, which are different from others.
• Imposing on an individual requirements or conditions which are in effect more onerous on that individual than they are on others. No individual will be placed at a disadvantage by requirements or conditions which cannot be shown to be necessary to the satisfactory conduct of the job or task.
• Victimisation or harassment of an individual, by virtue of discrimination.
• Any other act or omission of an act which has the effect of disadvantaging an individual against another, or others, purely on the above grounds. Thus all of the Club's recruitment, selection, promotion and training processes, as well as disciplinary matters, will be determined solely by the application of an objective assessment of personal performance and ability.

3. The Club commits itself to the immediate investigation of any claims of discrimination on the above grounds and where such is found to be the case, an undertaking that the practice cease forthwith, restitution of damage or loss (if necessary) and to the investigation of the member of staff accused of discrimination.

4. Any employee or member of staff found guilty of discrimination will be instructed to desist forthwith and will be dealt with under the Club's disciplinary procedures.

5. The Club opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination on the grounds of disability. No applicant, employee or member of staff shall receive less favourable treatment than others, because of disability. The difficulties of their disability permitting, assistance will be provided, wherever possible, to ensure that disabled employees or members of staff are helped to gain access and to undertake their duties.

ANTI DISCRIMINATION POLICY

1. The Club's policy is not to discriminate or in any way treat anyone less favourably, on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability. The Club will not tolerate any such discrimination in any of the Club's activities.

2. The Club will apply this policy when 1) advertising for and selecting applicants for employment 2) seeking volunteers 3) running courses 4) running external coaching, educational activities and award schemes 5) promoting football development activities 6) selecting teams and 7) considering appointments.

3. The Club will not tolerate racist, sectarian, sexual or bigoted harassment or other discriminatory behaviour, whether physical or verbal, and will work to ensure that such behaviour is met with appropriate action in whatever context it occurs.

4. The Club is committed to the development of the programme of ongoing training and awareness raising events and activities, in order to promote the eradication of discrimination within its own organisation, and within football as a whole.

5. The Club gives a commitment to ensure that it is open to all and that team selection policy will be the footballing ability and character of the individual, together with the collective balance of the team.

6. Each player and employee contract will include a clause stating that the Club is opposed to racism, sectarianism, bigotry and discrimination in any form and that the player or employee shares these principles and gives a commitment to uphold and promote these standards.

Club Policy covering Part III (The provision of goods, services and facilities) of the Disability Discrimination Act

The Club is committed to ensuring that its disabled supporters and customers have as full access as is reasonably possible to make to all goods, services and facilities provided or offered to the public by the Club.

The Club will operate a concessionary ticketing policy for disabled supporters and will ensure that the scheme does not discriminate between disabled people with differing impairments.

The Club recognises that not all of its facilities are fully accessible to disabled customers and confirms that it is committed to making the necessary reasonable adjustments described by the Disability Discrimination Act and its relevant Codes of Practice to ensure full compliance with the legislation.

The Club also recognises that it is likely to have new duties with effect from 1st October 2004 to remove permanent barriers that make it difficult or impossible for some disabled customers to access Club facilities. The Club will undertake such additional works as are reasonably required within the timescales set out in the Act.

The Club has a training programme to ensure that all Senior Managers and appropriate “front line staff” are trained in the provisions of the Act. Ongoing training will be included in staff induction programmes.

The Club has a grievance procedure in place and guarantees to its disabled supporters and customers that any complaints of discrimination will be dealt with quickly under that procedure.

The Club has advised its staff that any incident of discrimination under the provisions of the Act is a serious matter and will be dealt with under the Club's Disciplinary Procedures.

Disability Discrimination Act

Club Policy

The Club is committed to ensuring that its disabled supporters and customers have as full access as is reasonably possible to make to all goods, services and facilities provided or offered to the public by the Club.

The Club will operate a concessionary ticketing policy for disabled supporters and will ensure that the scheme does not discriminate between disabled people with differing impairments. The Club recognises that not all of its facilities are fully accessible to disabled customers and confirms that it is committed to making the necessary reasonable adjustments described by the Disability Discrimination Act and its relevant Codes of Practice to ensure full compliance with the legislation.

The Club also recognises that it is has new duties to remove permanent barriers that make it difficult or impossible for some disabled customers to access Club facilities. The Club will undertake such additional works as are reasonably required within the timescales set out in the Act. The Club has a training programme to ensure that all Senior Managers and appropriate “front line staff” are trained in the provisions of the Act. Ongoing training will be included in staff induction programmes.

The Club has a grievance procedure in place and guarantees to its disabled supporters and customers that any complaints of discrimination will be dealt with quickly under that procedure. The Club has advised its staff that any incident of discrimination under the provisions of the Act is a serious matter and will be dealt with under the Club's Disciplinary Procedures.

Policy for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

No Smoking Policy

Purpose

This policy has been developed to protect all employees, service users, customers and visitors from exposure to second-hand smoke and to assist compliance with the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005.

Exposure to second-hand smoke, also known as passive smoking, increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. Ventilation or separating smokers and non-smokers within the same airspace does not completely stop potentially dangerous exposure.

Policy

It is the policy of Dumbarton Football Club Limited that ALL of our workplaces, internal or external, are smoke-free and all employees have a right to work in a smoke-free environment.

The policy shall come into effect on 26 March 2006 and be reviewed on 23 March 2007 by the Club's Safety Officer who will report back to the Board of Directors in respect of the Review any recommendations for amendments to this policy.

Smoking is prohibited throughout the entire workplace, internal or external, with no exceptions. This policy applies to all employees, consultants, contractors, customers or members and visitors.

Implementation

Overall responsibility for policy implementation and review rests with the Safety Officer of Dumbarton Football Club Limited reporting to the Director responsible for Safety.. All staff are obliged to adhere to, and facilitate the implementation of the policy.

The person named above shall inform all existing employees, consultants and contractors of the policy and their role in the implementation and monitoring of the policy. They will also have to give all new personnel a copy of the policy on recruitment/induction.

Appropriate “No Smoking” signs will be clearly displayed at the entrances to and within the premises.

The policy shall also be made publicly available via the Club's Web Page and be included within the Club's Health and Safety Procedures Manual.

Non-compliance

Local discipline procedures should be followed if a member of staff does not comply with this policy. The procedure set out on page 12 of the booklet “Helping to get your business or organisation ready for the new law on smoking” should be followed if a customer, visitor or passenger does not comply.

Those who do not comply with the smoking law are also liable to a fixed penalty fine and possible criminal prosecution.

Help to Stop Smoking

Support for smokers who want to stop can be provided from Dumbarton Health Centre, Station Road, Dumbarton.

Other sources of support are: Smokeline 0800 848484, www.hebs.com/tobacco, the Public Health Department of your local NHS as well as your local GP surgery as noted above.

Contact details can be found in your local directory.