HomeMy WebLinkAboutCS-01-91 n °'". TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
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t' ETING: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION
DATE: JANUARY 7 , 1991
REPORT #: CS-01-91 FILE #:
SUBJECT: REFUND POLICY - REVISION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose &
Administration Committee recommend to Council the following:-
1. That Report No. CS-01-91 be received; and
2 . That Attachment #1 to Report CS-01-91 be endorsed as the
Town's Refund Policy regarding programs offered through the
Community Services Department.
1. 0 BACKGROUND:
1. 1 The Town of Newcastle, through the Community Services
Department, operates recreational programs for the
enjoyment and participation of Community residents. From
time-to-time, situations arise in which program
participants request a cancellation or refund from the
programs in which they are registered.
1.2 In recognition of this need, the following resolution
(GPA-105-83) was passed. It states:
"That any applicant to a Community Services (Department)
program wishing to cancel registration in a program shall
be charged a cancellation fee of $10 . 00 . If the
cancellation is for medical reasons, then a cancellation
fee of $5 .00 shall apply. " . . /2
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REPORT CS-01-91 - 2 - JANUARY 7, 1991
1 . 3 The intention of this report is to revise the refund
policy so that program participants may apply and receive
their refunds quicker and the Community Services
Department will be able to provide a clearer audit trail
for budgeting/auditing purposes .
1 .4 The attached Schedule 1 is the proposed policy with the
required changes and/or additions . Please note that the
revision does not effect the Resolution GPA-105-83 as it
will remain as written.
2.0 GUIDELINES
2 . 1 The guidelines are suggested so that the Community
Services Department can make the program participants
aware of the documentation required to efficiently
process cancellation/refund requests .
2 .2 The first item indicates that all cancellation/refund
requests be submitted to the Department in writing. This
document would be attached to the registration form and
filed in the Department. In the case of a medical
reason, as in item #2, the Doctor's note plus the written
request would be attached to the participant's
registration. This documentation allows the
Administration Staff to record the date the request was
received and to file the request as support
documentation.
2 . 3 The pro-rating of refunds based on the date they are
received by the Department is considered to be a normal
operational practice - this procedure is used by other
municipalities within the Region (eg. City of Oshawa) .
This practice encourages participants and/or their
parents to submit their requests as soon as possible.
Early notification of cancellation will enable the
Department to refund the individual and replace them in
the class with someone on the waiting list.
. . /3
REPORT CS-01-91 - 3 - JANUARY 7, 1991
2 .4 Currently refunds may be requested up until the sixth
week of classes. In the majority of cases, the
individuals have not attended the classes since the
second week but since they don't have to request the
cancellation until the sixth week they tend to
procrastinate. This late notification results in the
Department being unable to fill the vacancy with another
person from a waiting list for that class. Although not
every program has a waiting list, should one exist the
Department would not be able to offer the space to
another person after the second week of classes .
2 .5 In cases where the Department cancels a program, due to
low registration and/or unforseen circumstances, each
individual registrant would be offered a space in another
class of the same level/content or a full refund.
The registrant would be free to make the choice - ie. if
the offered alternate was not suitable then they would
receive a full refund.
3.0 SUMMARY
3. 1 The revisions to the refund policy clearly define the
requirements and factors involved in a participant
applying for a refund. The documents requested will
assist the Community Services Department in maintaining
accurate records as well as upgrading the opportunities
available to individuals who find themselves on a class
waiting list.
Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation
to the Committee,
,i' � '
Joseph/ . Caruana, Director Lawren E. Kotseff
DeparJEment of Community Services Chief i inistrative Officer
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ATTACHMENT #1 TO REPORT CS-01-91
DN: POLICY CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
POLICY DATE: November 26, 1990
DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
DIVISION: Program/Community Relations
SECTION: Program
SUBJECT: REFUND POLICY PAGE 1 OF 1
1.0 PURPOSE
To provide a consistent application of the process of refunding/cancelling participation
in Department Programs.
Resolution #GPA - 105 - 83
"That any applicant to a Community Services Department program
wishing to cancel registration in a program shall be charged a
cancellation fee of $10.00. If the cancellation is for medical reasons,
then a cancellation fee of$5.00 shall apply."
2.0 GUIDELINES
1. All requests for cancellation and/or refund must be received in writing
by the Community Services Department.
2. Cancellation/refund requests for medical reasons must be accompanied
by a medical note.
3. All cancellation/refund requests will be pro-rated to the date that they
are received by the Community Services Department.
4. Cancellation/refund requests received after the completion of the
program's second class will not be processed except for medical reasons
(Doctor's note must be submitted with request).
5. In the case of the Community Services Department cancelling a
program, all registered participants will receive a full refund or an
alternate choice. If the alternate class is not suitable, a full refund will
be issued.
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