Gold Card and Diamond Discount Card terms and conditions

2.1 Acceptance of membership is at the absolute discretion of the council. The council
reserves the right to request proof of all the information given to obtain membership.

2.2 Membership will begin upon receipt of the Starter Payment and all monies due. Access to the gym will be restricted until an appropriate induction has been completed. Before using the gym you must also read and sign a copy of the health Physical Activity Readiness
Questionnaire (PARQ+) to confirm that you have no known condition or are currently
undergoing any treatment that would prevent you from being capable of physical exercise in all material respects.

2.3 Upon acceptance a membership card will be issued. The membership card remains the
property of the council and entitles the member to all the benefits afforded to that
membership category.

2.4 Membership cards must be shown to gain entry to the centre. Membership cards must only be used by the registered user.

2.5 Any fraudulent use of the card will result in cancellation of the membership with immediate effect and with no refund. 

2.6 Lost or damaged cards may be subject to a replacement charge. 

2.7 Membership fees will not be refunded if you do not to visit the sports centre.
 

3.1 The council cannot be held responsible for any service or facility being unavailable for reasons outside of our control.

3.2 The council reserves the right to make alterations to services, the program of activities and facilities. Wherever possible, members will be provided with advance notice. Members will not be entitled to a refund of all or part of membership fees unless specifically stated.

3.3 You are responsible for ensuring that you (and your guests) correctly and safely operate or use any facilities and/or equipment (including adjusting levels and settings). If you are in
any doubt you must consult a sports centre staff member.

3.4 Members and their guests are required to comply with all reasonable requests and
instructions in relation to the health and safety of themselves, other customers and staff.

3.5 The council’s liability to compensate you for any loss or damage (in the case of loss or
damage other than death or personal injury) is limited to a reasonable amount, having
regard to such factors as whether the loss or damage was due to negligence by us.

3.6 The law of England and Wales shall apply to this contract and the relevant courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction to deal with any disputes arising in relation to it.

4. Gold Card Membership categories

4.1 Details of specific membership categories, the benefits and prices are published in the
Sports Centre reception and on our website.

4.2 Family memberships are provided on the condition that payment is taken from one bank account and all members reside at the same address.

4.3 In the case of family memberships the signature on the membership form shall constitute acceptance by all the persons included in the membership and all shall be bound by these terms and conditions.

4.4 Student memberships are for those aged 16 and above who are in full-time education. If you have a student membership you must provide proof of full-time education at the time of taking out your membership and when requested by the council. If you cease to be in fulltime education, you will cease to be entitled to benefit from the discounted charges and you agree that the council may change your membership so that you pay the full Gold Card charges. You also agree to the council changing your direct debit payment. 

4.5 Corporate memberships are arranged in advance for organizations with 5 or more active members. If the number of members on a corporate rate drops below 20 or 5 then the remaining members will either convert to an additional corporate rate or the standard rate and the direct debit will be amended.

4.6 If you are to be a corporate member you will be required to provide proof of employment with a company with a corporate rate at the time of taking out your membership. The council also reserves the right to request proof of employment with a corporate organisation at any time. In the meantime it is your responsibility to inform us if your employment status changes.

4.7 Affiliate club memberships are arranged in advance for clubs that belong to national
governing bodies recognised by either Sport England or UK Sport. If you are a member on
an affiliate member rate you must be and remain throughout the period of your membership of the sports centre an active member of the club. 

4.8 If you have a membership at the corporate or affiliate club rate you agree to allow the
council to confirm your continuing employment or active membership with the corporate
organisation or club.

4.9 If you are a corporate or affiliate club member and you or your employer/club as appropriate cease to satisfy the qualifying conditions, you will cease to be entitled to benefit from the discounted charges and you agree that the council may change your membership so that you pay the full Gold Card charges. You also agree that to the council changing your direct debit payment.

4.10 Other membership categories including promotional offers will be offered by us at our
discretion.

4.11 The council reserves the right to change the benefits of membership at any time. A
minimum of 10 working days’ notice will be given prior to the amendment of any such
benefits.
 

5.1 Details of all fees are published in the sports centre reception and on our website.

5.2 The first subscription fee paid by you when joining will be a 'Starter Payment’. This will be calculated on a pro-rata basis in respect of the type of membership and the number of days between the date the membership starts and the date chosen by you for the first direct debit. The Starter Payment will also include the joining fee/re-join fee. 

5.3 The Starter Payment is due immediately on signing the membership form and will be by cash, cheque, credit or debit card. Unless you pay your annual membership fee in full, you must complete a monthly direct debit mandate.

5.4 The council reserves the right to change fees and charges at any time. You will be given
not less than one month’s notice of any increase in the monthly subscription fee in
accordance with the Direct Debit Scheme Guarantee.

5.5 If you default on a direct debit payment for any reason your membership will be suspended until the payment for the missed amount is made.

5.6 You are liable to pay all membership fees irrespective of your use of the sports centre.

5.7 All monthly payments will be paid by direct debit in advance.

6.1 If you pay by direct debit you can suspend your membership without charge if you produce evidence of a medical condition restricting your ability to exercise to such an extent that it prevents you from using the sports centre. If you wish to the suspend your membership for any other reason, you may only do so once in any 12 month period, it will be at the discretion of the sports centre manager and the council reserves the right to charge you an administration fee every time you wish to suspend in accordance with the published fees and charges.

6.2 Unless you are suspending your membership for medical reasons, you must give written
notice or complete an amendment form at least 31 days prior to the commencement of the
suspension. Normally the suspension period should fall in line with the payment period. 

6.3 Unless otherwise agreed with the sports centre manager, the maximum period for a
suspension is three months. Suspensions in membership of more than 3 months may incur
a re-join fee.

6.4 When the suspension period is over, the council will re-activate the direct debit.
 

7.1 Subject to the provisions of this Membership Agreement, you may cancel your direct debit membership at any time by writing to the sports centre manager. Your membership card should be returned to the sports centre manager at the same time.

7.2 Cancelling the direct debit Instruction with your bank is your responsibility and the council will not be responsible to you for any loss suffered by you as a consequence of you failing to do so.

7.3 Under normal conditions memberships paid in full but cancelled during their term will not be refunded. Memberships paid in full may, at the discretion of the sports centre manager, be refunded in part. In the event that a refund is agreed, you may be charged a £10
administration fee.

8.1 The council reserves the right to suspend or terminate the membership:

8.1.1 Without notice and with immediate effect, if in the sports centre manager’s reasonable opinion your conduct is such that it may be injurious to the character, name or interests of the sports centre or is such that it renders the member unfit to associate with other members.

8.1.2 Without notice and with immediate effect if you have committed a breach of the centre guidelines, rules, bylaws of the centre in force at the time.

8.1.3 By written notice if any fees remain unpaid thirty days after they are due.

8.2 If your membership has been terminated by the council you shall forfeit all the privileges of membership without entitlement to claim or refund on the membership fees including
payments made in full. You must return the membership card to the sports centre
immediately by recorded post.

9. Diamond Discount categories.

9.1 Details of specific membership categories, the benefits and prices are published in the
sports centre reception and on our website.

9.2 The council reserves the right to change the benefits of the discount scheme at any time.
 

10.1 Fees are paid 12 months in advance.

10.2 Fees are non-refundable.

10.3 Diamond Discount Cards are valid for 12 months. The card holder will be prompted to
renew their card when they visit the sports centre for the first time after the due renewal
date or the card holder will be unable to book on-line once the card has expired.

10.4 The card holder will be entitled to all Diamond Card discount rates and will be given the options of purchasing bulk buy swimming credits. All credits are valid for 12 months from the time of purchase.

10.5 All on-line bookings will require payment at the time of booking. If a class is cancelled with more than 24 hours’ notice, the full amount will be credited to your Diamond Card account and can be used at a later date. A refund can be given to the card the payment was made from, this can only be requested by telephone or at reception between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
 

11.1 You may cancel at any time but Diamond Discount Cards are non-refundable.

12.1 The council reserves the right to suspend or terminate the membership:

12.1.1 without notice and with immediate effect, if in the sports centre manager’s
reasonable opinion your conduct is such that it may be injurious to the character,
name or interests of the sports centre or is such that it renders the member unfit to
associate with other members.

12.1.2 without notice and with immediate effect if you have committed a breach of the
centre guidelines, rules, bylaws of the centre in force at the time.

12.1.3 by written notice if any fees remain unpaid thirty days after they are due.

12.2 If your membership has been terminated by the council you shall forfeit all the privileges of membership without entitlement to claim or refund on the membership fees including payments made in full. You must return the membership card to the sports centre
immediately by recorded post.
 

13.1 The sports centre’s normal hours of opening are displayed in the sports centre and are
available on the website. The hours may be lengthened or shortened at the absolute
discretion of the council. The council will endeavour to give customers a minimum of 7
days’ notice of changes. 

13.2 If you fail to turn up for a pre-booked activity or cancel within 24 hours you will become
liable for the full Pay and Play amount for that activity unless the place can be re-sold.

13.3 The council may have an annual closure period which will not normally exceed three
weeks. A minimum of 14 days’ notice of any such closure will be displayed. No membership
refunds will be given for these periods.

13.4 Gold Card or Diamond Discount membership does not entitle you to priority use of the
sports centre and its facilities. At certain times you may have to wait for available space.

13.5 If you are aged between 14 and 16, then in accordance with the council’s published
requirements you may not be able to use the gym without being accompanied by a
responsible adult.

14.1 The council will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered as a result of communicating with you by email or SMS text.

14.2 The council reserves the right to refuse entry to the sports centre.

14.3 The council reserves the right to take photographs of the sports centre (which may include you provided your inclusion is accidental) for press and promotional purposes provided the council gives reasonable notice.

15.1 During your membership, the council may collect certain personal information about you including personal details, financial details and information about your health. The council will use this information for the purposes of managing your membership and communicating with you. E-mail will be the preferred means of communicating with you, but the council may also communicate with you by SMS text. The council will limit access to the processing of and use of your personal information by its employees who may, from time to time, require its use for marketing or other services. In addition, from time to time, the council may need to make your personal information available to third parties. A full copy of the council’s privacy statement can be inspected at the sports centre or on our website.  You can also find out more about your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

15.2 You will be given the opportunity to “opt in" to marketing communications. However if you subsequently wish to opt out you will be given a free and easy means of doing so either through the council’s website or by e-mail.

15.3 You must inform the council promptly of any changes to the personal information that you have provided or which may affect the council’s obligations to you.
 

Booking procedure

Casual:

• bookings taken from 7.00am for Gold Card members, 9.00am for Diamond Discount Card holders and 9.15am for Standard users (payment required at time of booking)
• online bookings for classes can be made up to 8 days in advance by Gold Card members and Diamond Discount, Diamond Discount holders are required to pay at the time of booking.
• main hall, badminton courts, tennis courts, astro pitch, squash courts, table tennis, sauna, exercise classes, cricket nets a (outside, in season) - up to 1 week in advance.

Courses:

• refer to current course leaflets for booking procedures

Clubs:

• clubs wishing to book facilities more than 1 week in advance must complete an application for hire form (available from the Centre or on-line at www.dorsetforvou.qov.uk/purbecksportscentre. Full details including the possibility of VAT exemption is included on the form

Cancellation policy

Squash, badminton, tennis, astro pitch, table tennis, sauna, swimming and exercise
classes:

• if more than 24 hours’ notice is given for any personal booking then no charge will be levied. All refunds will be credited to the account holder, a refund can be requested by telephone or in person at reception between the hours of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
• if your exercise class place, court, pitch is cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice but is subsequently re-let, or there are other courts/pitches/places available at the same time, there will be no charge levied
• if the bookee fails to turn up then the full charge will be payable if the class was ever full and your class/place is cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice and is not re-let then the full charge will be payable.
• if your pitch/court is cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice and is not re-let then the full charge will be payable

Whole hall bookings:

• if a booking of the whole of the main hall is cancelled, every effort will be made to re-let as much of the booking as possible. A charge will be made for all courts not re-let

Club bookings:

• any cancellations of a club booking must be put in writing, even if cancellation is on the same day. If it is not in writing, the club will definitely be charged. If it is put in writing prior to the booking, a decision will be made by the centre manager. For guidance, cancellations made within a week will normally be charged for. Cancelled matches on outdoor pitches may be treated differently- the centre manager will decide

Course bookings:

• if the course place is cancelled and then re-let a full refund will be given
• if the course place is cancelled and then not re-let the full charge will be payable