Aims:

• To minimise the risk of keys getting into the hands of people not authorised to have them.

• To specify what responsibilities key holders have for the safety of keys.

• To specify what responsibility all staff have should they discover misplaced keys.

Background

All staff possessing door keys relating to Balham Community Centre which threaten the security of the building, or parts of the building, and valuable possessions, should they be temporarily or permanently misplaced or lost.

Loss of personal or Community Centre money or property can be extremely disruptive and distressing.  Especially where negligent control or internal dishonesty have been the cause of, or have contributed to, the loss. Balham Community Centre takes their responsibility to prevent such incidents seriously, in the interests of the Centre as a whole, the staff who contribute to its resources and development, and all users. Any breach of this procedure may result in irreparable loss, breech of the conditions of our insurance, and / or the disciplinary procedure being instigated against the member(s) of staff concerned.

Procedure

Responsibilities of all Key holders

• Copies of keys to all storage cupboards and doors are held centrally at the Balham Community Centre in case of additional need and emergencies.

• No keys should be left unattended in a place where they may come into the hands of someone unauthorised to have them

• Keys should not be given or lent to people unauthorised to have them, except where they are kept under supervision - the key holder so parting with the keys remains responsible for ensuring security is maintained

• Loss of keys shall be reported, by the key holder, to the Centre Manager as soon as possible.

Responsibilities of any member of staff finding misplaced keys

• They should take charge of the keys until they are able to return them either to the person authorised to hand them into their line manager.

• They shall not pass them on to anyone other than the person authorised to hold them.

• They shall not leave them in the building overnight

• They shall, as soon as possible, report the fact that they have found misplaced keys to their manager, telephoning them at home if necessary

Additional precautions

·    It will be the explicit duty of the last person to vacate a room (or rooms) to check for misplaced keys, and to follow the above procedure in the event of finding them.

Responsibilities relating to use of the offices

·    The door to both offices should be closed when the room is vacated and locked when the room is vacant.