Complaints
Complaints concerning research grants, training awards and fellowships
We deal with a large number of grant, fellowship and studentship holders. Within such a large community it is inevitable that individuals and institutions will have comments, complaints, grievances and ideas relating to NERC policy and procedures.
We welcome these, but with so many prospective points of entry into NERC, it is important that the academic community is aware of whom to contact and how. This is especially important in instances of formal grievance or complaint.
Background
NERC uses expertise and advice from a variety of NERC panels and boards, as well as from individual scientists, representatives of government agencies and external interest groups. But ultimate responsibility for decisions, actions, administration and management rests with Council and NERC officers. NERC officers must be the first recipients for complaints and grievances, not members of the Peer Review College or members of Moderating Panels.
Procedure
Complaints or comments relating to the administrative handling of your proposal or award should be directed to the RCUK Shared Services Centre. Similarly, comments or complaints about Je-S should be directed to the Je-S Helpdesk.
Anyone with a complaint that relates to NERC policy or the decision making process should initially discuss the problem with the appropriate NERC officer. These may be listed on web pages relevant to your query or on the funding contacts page.
Formal complaints should be directed in writing, by post or electronically, to the appropriate NERC officer, who will aim to acknowledge receipt of the complaint and/or seek clarification within ten working days. If this person cannot deal with your complaint they will pass it on to a more senior person and give you their name.
The appropriate NERC officer will investigate the complaint, and will try to resolve the problem to the complainant's satisfaction. If problems submitted to named NERC officers are not resolved within a reasonable time, they should also be sent in writing to Gemma Truelove, Peer Review College Manager.
If the responses from the relevant NERC officer and the Research Funding Manager are not felt to be satisfactory, complainants should write to the NERC Complaints Officer:
Janice Timberlake
People, Skills & Communication Director
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU