Consultation on the OfS’s new free speech complaints scheme

128. We propose that we may consider two or more complaints together, if they are about the same respondent and the same subject matter. This could be the case whether those complaints were submitted individually or as a group. We also propose that we may decide to review a representative one among such complaints (a lead complaint) while suspending our review of the others, pending the outcome of the lead complaint.

129. The Act will require us to make decisions on complaints as soon as is reasonably practicable.⁵³ We consider that dealing with complaints about the same subject and respondent together may save time and expense for complainants and respondents.
130. Similarly, it may be effective to consider a lead complaint, and suspend our review of the other complaints in the group. In the event that we decided that the lead complaint was justified, the respondent may then seek to resolve the other complaints in the group without us having to reach a decision on those complaints. This may support timely resolution of those complaints which would be in the interests of the complainants and the respondent.

[53] HERA Sch. 6A 6(1)(b).