We are committed to providing a courteous and helpful service at all times.

For further details of the level of service we aim to provide please click the relevant link below

 

• Publication of Standards

• Information and Openness

• Consultation and Communication

• Courtesy and Helpfulness

• Complaints

• Value for Money

 

Publication of standards

• We shall give clubs at least 6 weeks' notice of when they should return the annual licence application form and of what information they should provide.
• We shall acknowledge all applications within 5 working days and we shall send receipts for all fees paid.
• Whenever a valid application is sent to us on time, we shall issue a new licence before the previous one expires.
• We shall normally answer all requests for advice or interpretation within 10 working days. If we cannot manage this we shall write to say why and how long we shall take.
• We shall carry out all ground visits at reasonable times.

 

During visits to grounds we shall do nothing that makes it more difficult for safety staff to perform their duties.

If during a visit we see or have brought to our notice any significant threat to the safety of spectators we shall inform the local authority in writing at the earliest opportunity; if the threat is serious or immediate we shall notify the most senior responsible person available orally as soon as possible.

Every year we shall publish details of our performance in our Annual Report. This will be sent to all the clubs, local authorities and other bodies with whom we deal, and to anybody else on request, without charge.

 

These details shall include:

• the number of visits to grounds;

• the number of formal meetings with local authorities, clubs, the emergency services and other representative bodies;

• the number of licences issued and the time taken;

• the number of safety certificates examined and the number considered satisfactory;

• the time taken to handle enquiries;

• the number of complaints received and the outcome.

 

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Information and openness

• We shall act fairly and impartially at all times.
• We shall give clubs and local authorities advance notice of our licensing procedures.
• We shall advise all clubs of likely licence conditions in sufficient time for them to take any necessary action.
• When clubs tell us their plans for redeveloping their grounds we shall advise them as soon as possible how best to reach acceptable standards.
• We shall answer all requests from local authorities and clubs for advice on safety as fully as we can and without charge.
• We shall provide free copies of our published guidance on major safety issues to anyone who asks for it.
• We shall explain to local authorities or clubs when and why we consider that existing safety arrangements will need to be changed.
• We shall not overrule reasonable requirements by a local authority based on competent professional advice and correct procedures.
• We shall whenever possible accept every invitation to explain our principles and our policies in public but will not disclose information about particular clubs given to us in confidence.

 

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Consultation and communication

• Even where there is no statutory requirement, we shall formally consult local authorities and clubs about any proposed licence conditions on seating and standing accommodation.
• We shall give clubs the opportunity to make representations about any licence conditions before we impose them.
• We shall at all times seek what is necessary for the reasonable safety of the public at any particular ground.
• Before we issue any general guidance on safety we shall consult representatives of all those who will be affected and will take their views into account.
• We shall not impose any safety requirement without first trying to reach agreement with the local authority and club concerned. We shall use our legal powers only as a last resort.
• We shall visit grounds frequently to see them for ourselves and to listen to the views of clubs.
• We shall keep in close contact with each local authority and club so that they can quickly warn us of their problems or concerns.

 

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Courtesy and helpfulness

• We are committed to providing a courteous and helpful service at all times.
• Our Members and staff shall identify themselves by name in all dealings with local authorities, clubs, other bodies or members of the public.
• Our Members and Inspectors shall all carry identification cards.
• We shall keep each local authority and club informed of the name and telephone number of the Inspector who is responsible for the ground concerned.
• The local FLA Inspector will be the first point of contact for local authorities and clubs on all matters.
• Save in exceptional circumstances, our Inspectors shall give advance notice of their visits to grounds; visits shall be at reasonable times and designed to cause the minimum possible disruption.
• Official visits to grounds by other FLA representatives shall be by prior agreement with the club.
• We shall concentrate on helping local authorities and clubs improve safety and not on criticising them.

 

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Complaints

• We undertake to deal with any complaints as quickly, courteously and fairly as possible
• If you have a complaint about the Football Licensing Authority, you can write to the Chief Executive, John de Quidt, whose address is given at the end of this leaflet. He will handle all complaints personally.
• We shall reply as fully as possible to all complaints within 10 working days. If the matter will take longer to investigate we shall write and tell you.
• If you are still not satisfied you may ask for the matter to be considered by our independent Chairman and Board Members.
• If the complaint is justified, we shall immediately take such steps as are necessary to put matters right and prevent any repetition.
• If we receive complaints about matters for which we have no responsibility, we shall immediately pass these on to the appropriate authority and tell you what action we have taken.

 

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Value for money

• We aim to limit the cost to clubs to no more than is reasonably necessary. We shall seek to ensure standards of safety that are proportionate to the risk and take account of the design and size of the ground.
• We believe that it is in clubs' own interest to provide high standards of facilities, comfort and service for spectators. We shall encourage and help them to do this but it is not for us to compel them.
• Where seating or standing accommodation for spectators falls below a certain standard, we shall expect clubs to manage it safely. We shall only prevent it being used if it presents an unacceptable safety or public order risk.
• We shall encourage clubs to identify and adopt for themselves the measures necessary to ensure the reasonable safety of spectators without having to be told what to do.
• We shall look for consistency but not uniformity in the enforcement of safety requirements by local authorities.

 

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