Club Charter 2018/19 SWANSEA CITY ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED

 
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SWANSEA CITY ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED

                          Club Charter 2018/19

Document History

Revision History

The latest revision can be found at the top of the list

 Revision Date            Author               Version               Summary of Changes
  June 2018            Lucy Norman              V1.0                   First Publication

Alternative Formats

If you would like this policy             in   an      alternative   format    please      e-mail
accessibility@swanseacity.com
ACCESSIBILITY
Swansea City AFC is committed to delivering its services in a way that respects the dignity
and independence of disabled individuals. Therefore, we strive to ensure that disabled
supporters have the same opportunity to access our services and thus enable them to
benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

The club regularly reviews its services with a view to introduce improvements as quickly as is
reasonably practicable. In addition to this, Swansea City AFC provides a wealth of
information on its facilities and services in advance via the website to assist disabled
supporters, or someone who cares for them, in the planning of their visit.

More information can be found by clicking here or e-mailing accessibility@swanseacity.com.

ANTI-MODERN SLAVERY COMMITMENT
Swansea City AFC is committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human
trafficking in its supply chains or in any part of our operations. The club’s Modern Slavery
and Human Trafficking policy confirms our commitment to acting ethically in all of our
business relationships and explaints the necessary controls in place to ensure that slavery
and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere within our organisation.

More information can be found by clicking here.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Swansea City AFC is committed to playing a full and active role within the local community.
The club works closely with its designated charity – Swansea City Community Trust
(Registered charity number 1126933) – who run a number of health, education, sports and
youth engagement projects to improve the lifestyles of children, young adults and families
across Wales.

The club also regularly supports a large number of good causes within the area via monthly
signed merchandise donations and matchday collections, as well as personal appearances
from players to charitable events and local community occasions.
CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS
Swansea City AFC is committed to delivering excellent customer service and maintaining a
continual awareness of supporter concerns. However, if a service or product has failed to
meet the standards our customers expect, then they are entitled to make an official
complaint.

Where possible, complaints should be submitted in writing so that all details of the
complaint are captured in a clear and concise manner. We aim to acknowledge all
complaints within 48 hours of receipt, although this can take longer during busy periods. For
more information about how to complain and what to expect when you do, please refer to
the club’s Complaint Policy available here.

Any supporter that fails to receive a suitable response or satisfaction to their complaint
within 6 weeks of the matter being raised is entitled to refer the matter to The Independent
Football Ombudsman (IFO). Complaints to the IFO should be made in writing by post to:
The Independent Football Ombudsman, Suite 33, Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3AJ or by
email to: contact@theifo.co.uk It is also possible to initially register your concerns by
telephone by leaving a voicemail on 0800 588 4066. Further information on the IFO can be
found on their website at www.theifo.co.uk

STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR AND SERVICE
Swansea City AFC expects the highest standard of behaviour from its employees. Employees
are bound by their contract to adhere to various policies while performing their duties to
ensure professionalism within the workplace.

The club also adopts a zero-tolerance approach to its employees being verbally abused or
threatened and as such, a high standard of behaviour from customers is expected when
dealing with employees, fellow supports and/or the relevant authorities. This applies to
attending and/or travelling to or from matchdays both home and away, as wells as non-
matchdays.

The club reserves the right to ban supporters from membership and/or ticket purchasing
privileges where their behaviour has fallen below the required standards. Full details on the
process for club bans will be detailed in a separate policy which will be available on the
club’s website and available on request.
DATA PROTECTION
Swansea City AFC complies with the relevant data protection legislation. All personal data is
stored securely for the shortest duration as possible and all personal data is disposed of in
an appropriate and responsible manner.

For more information about how we collect, process and store personal data please refer to
our privacy notice.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS
Swansea City AFC is continually making progress to operate as a more environmentally
friendly organisation. It is committed to ensuring it adopts the appropriate policies to
introduce and deliver a standard of environmental responsibility which will satisfy the
expectations of our stakeholders and demonstrates a respect for our physical community.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Swansea City AFC is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for everyone who
wishes to be involved in the club in whichever capacity and thus strives to ensure everyone
can participant to the full extent of their own ambitions and abilities, without regard to their
age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or
maternity, race, religion, belief, sex or sexual orientation.

All those involved within the club can be assured of an environment in which their rights,
dignity and individual worth is respected, and in particular that they are able to enjoy their
engagement at the club without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment,
bullying and abuse.

GROUND REGULATIONS
Swansea City AFC Ground Regulations are displayed around the stadium and on the club’s
website available to view by clicking here. Stewards are employed to enforce these Ground
Regulations and thereby ensure the delivery of a safe and enjoyable matchday. By
purchasing a ticket and gaining admission to the stadium, home and visiting supporters
agree to abide by these regulations.
TICKETING
The club seeks to make ticket purchases as simple as possible and therefore, offers the
opportunity to purchase tickets via the internet, over the phone and in-person at the Ticket
Office. Orders placed by phone or in person incur a £2.50 fee per ticket, whilst orders placed
online incur a £1.25 fee per ticket. International orders will have the option of postage at £5
per transaction. More information concerning on-sale dates, how to register to purchase
and the terms and conditions of sale can be found by clicking here.

TICKET PRICING AND ALLOCATION
The club endeavours to ensure all Swans fixtures are accessible by offering a broad range of
ticket prices both in terms of matchday tickets and season tickets. For all Championship
fixtures played at the Liberty Stadium, tickets are priced at £30 for adults with adult season
ticket prices starting at £439. Booking fees apply and further information on concessionary
pricing is below.

At least five per cent of tickets are made available to non-season ticket holders via the club's
Jack Army Membership and then general sale where available after Jack Army priority.

TICKET CONCESSIONS
Concessionary prices are available to junior supporters (under-16), senior citizens (60 and
over) and full-time students (16 and over with proof). If purchasing a concessionary ticket
in-person, the relevant proof is required as evidence of concessionary status. If purchasing
online or over the phone, then supporters are encouraged to bring the proof with them to
the match in the event of spot-checks.

AWAY TICKETS
The allocation of ticket priority for away games will be announced when allocations from
the opposing club are known. In most circumstances priority will be provided to season
ticket holders via the Jack Army Membership scheme. Information on available tickets and
the appropriate on-sale dates will be communicated via the official website and the relevant
official news outlets.
The club reserves the right, where appropriate, to include extra criteria such as Jack Army
points and/or alter the selling structure.
CUP COMPETITIONS TICKETS
Tickets for cup matches are priced dependent upon the opponents, the profile of the fixture
and the competition. In most cases, ticket priority for home games will rest with season
ticket holders. As with all other ticketing information, supporters will be informed via the
official website and the relevant official news outlets.

TICKET RETURNS/REFUNDS
Refunds for any tickets purchased is at the sole discretion of the club and can only be
considered if the whole ticket is returned to the club at least 48 hours before the advertised
kick-off time and date.

In the event of a fixture being postponed, the ticket purchaser may use the ticket for the re-
arranged fixture if they wish. The ticket purchaser is entitled to claim a refund, but only
after the date of the rearranged game has been officially confirmed. No refunds will be
permitted once the re-arranged game has kicked off or at an earlier deadline confirmed by
the ticket office or via the club's official site.

No refunds will be offered for season tickets except in extenuating circumstances which
renders the individual unable to attend for the duration of the season. Requests for a refund
should be submitted in writing at least 14 days prior to the start of the relevant season to
ensure there is an opportunity for the season ticket to be resold. Additionally, evidence of
the change in circumstances (for example, a change of employment) will be required.
Requests received after the start of the relevant season, if approved, will be issued on a pro-
rata basis only which is calculated from the day your request is accepted and the relevant
evidence submitted.

VISITING SUPPORTER TICKETS
The club abides by the English Football League and Football Association rules governing the
allocation of tickets to visiting clubs. 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,
students and junior supporters apply to supporters of a visiting club.

MATCHDAY SAFETY
Swansea City AFC will ensure that Liberty Stadium adheres to all relevant safety regulations
set out by The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) and other statutory bodies. As such,
the club will ensure that systems exist for the safe admission, accommodation and exit of
spectators and that all premises and facilities at the Liberty Stadium are constructed,
maintained and checked in such a way that the safety of everybody attending the stadium is
assured.

The club will operate a system whereby all systems and equipment used as part of the
safety function are subject to continuous inspection and tests. The frequency of inspections
and tests will be not less than that advised by equipment manufacturers or statutory
requirements. Competent persons will be used to carry out such inspection or tests. The
result of all inspections and tests will be recorded.

The result of all inspections, tests, on-going safety reporting and recording systems which
make up the risk analysis, structural, mechanical and electrical surveys will form part of the
annual policy review. The certificates will be available for inspection by the Football
Licensing Authority and the SGSA.

The club will endeavour at all times to minimise the danger and effect of fire. This will be
achieved by reviewing the fire risk assessments (FRA) regularly to identify all potential risks
from fire, in order to remove or reduce the risk to an acceptable level. All changes to the
FRA will be notified to the Mid and West Wales fire Service.

Furthermore, a No Smoking Policy will be enforced vigorously throughout the stadium. The
club will maintain a policy of acting upon the advice of the Fire Authorities given from time
to time and employing specific fire stewards, maintaining all fire safety systems in
accordance with the FRA, as well as keeping litter to a minimum.

The club will also ensure the provision of reasonable medical, ambulance and first aid cover
at all events where SGSA guidance suggests one is needed, including a crowd doctor who
will be trained and competent to deal with emergencies at the stadium. The will engage
ambulance services at a level appropriate to current and future guidance. This is currently
arranged with the St. Johns Ambulance Brigade.

The club will provide facilities for the use of First Aid personnel and engage an appropriate
number of qualified officers for each event. This is currently arranged and provided by the
St. Johns Ambulance Brigade.
MATCHDAY STEWARDING
In addition to this, the club will recruit, train and maintain a sufficient number of stewards
to meet its obligations under the General Safety Certificate at all times. The main duties of
the stewards includes carrying out pre-event safety checks, control and/or direct the flow of
people, to recognise crowd conditions for the prevention of overcrowding and respond to
emergencies in accordance with the Stadium Emergency Procedures.

In addition to being trained in spectator safety, fire, first aid and health and safety, stewards
are also trained to be extra vigilant to discriminatory offences such as racist language and/or
offensive gestures. This contravenes Ground Regulations and may be a criminal offence. As
such, spectators who contravene the Ground Regulations could face ejection from the
stadium and subsequently be arrested by the Police.

MERCHANDISE
Swansea City AFC merchandise is available from:-

Club Shop Liberty Stadium: Liberty Stadium, Landore, Swansea SA1 2FA
Club Shop City Centre: 33-34 Union Street, Swansea, SA1 3DZ
Online Superstore: www.swansdirect.com

The Liberty Stadium Club Shop opening hours are Monday to Friday 10:00am - 5:00pm,
Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm. The Club Shop is also open every
home matchday until kick-off. The Superstore re-opens after the final whistle and remains
open for up to one hour after the match (unless changed due to crowd circumstances or
later kick offs).

The club offers refunds and exchanges on merchandise. If you wish to exchange
merchandise or require a refund and these items were purchased online, please return the
merchandise to:

SWANSEA CITY AFC
UNIT 10
CWMDU INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
CARMARTHEN ROAD
SWANSEA
SA5 8JF

Please accompany with either your sales receipt, a copy of your sales receipt or a covering
note quoting your order number and details of your requirement refund/ change etc. We
recommend sending by recorded delivery as we cannot accept responsibility for any items
which are not returned to us Registered Post/Recorded Delivery.

For purchases made in person, please visit either our Liberty Stadium or City Centre store
with your sales receipt.

The club will strive to notify our customers of any changes in squad numbers and name
changes through our website as soon as reasonably possible. As all squad names and
numbers are subject to change, Swansea City AFC cannot accept liability for any changes to
player details, including names and numbers resulting from transfers, requests to leave or a
player deciding to change their name or number.

The club carries out its obligations under the Football League rules to prevent price fixing in
relation to the sale of replica strips.

SAFEGUARDING
Safeguarding is a key priority for Swansea City AFC and we are committed to effectively
promoting the safety of children and adults at-risk. We believe safeguarding is everyone’s
responsibility and as such, all new employees are briefed to ensure a foundational
understanding of safeguarding. Furthermore, we work in partnership with key local agencies
and have appointed responsibility for safeguarding at a senior level within the organisation.

For more information, please consult our safeguarding policy available here.

SUPPORTER CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION
Swansea City AFC is committed to consulting with supporters on a regular basis and meeting
Regulation 111 which requires senior executives to partake in supporter meetings on at
least two occasions during the football season. These events will provide an open forum for
any supporter to address specific matters on a meeting agenda with the relevant club
personnel.

In addition to this, the club consults the Supporters’ Trust on a regular basis via their elected
Supporters’ Director and the club publicises its position on major policy issues its official
news channels where appropriate. The club gives the earliest possible notice of any changes
to its policies and the reasons for the changes.
SUPPORTER LIAISON OFFICER
Swansea City AFC has an appointed Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) who will be able to deal
with enquiries relating to stadium and ticketing matters as well as supporter experience
matters generally. The SLO is within the Supporter Services team which provides an
opportunity to ensure all communications and feedback is directed to the most appropriate
and relevant people. To contact the SLO, please e-mail support@swanseacity.com or call
01792 616634 (please note calls are charged at your standard network rate).
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