[Centres] Requests for refund of Rider Registration Fees

Mon Apr 13 23:45:34 AEST 2020

Centre Secretaries,

The Board has received enquiries from a number of Centres asking if the
Board has made a decision on the issue of a possible refund of the Rider
Registration Fee.  The requests were made as a result of the compulsory
requirement of "social distancing" as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
which resulted in the shutdown of riding activities of all Centres.  

 The Board has considered the issue but because there are so many variables,
it is difficult to make a decision which could cover all eventualities.
There are many factors which can affect the decision of whether any funds
should be refunded and, if an amount is to be refunded, how much the refund
could be and when it should be made.  Most of the necessary information
required to help making a decision in relation to this is available to
Centres.  

Some possible scenarios and factors the Board needs to consider in relation
to the Rider Registration Fee include such things as:

1.     Did the rider pay any money to the Centre?

2.     Was the payment for the Fee made out of the rider's or their
parent's/carer's own finances?

3.     Does the money, or any part of it, in respect of the Fee come from an
NDIS/NDIA Plan? 

4.     Was the amount paid by the rider forwarded by the Centre to State
Office? 

5.     Has an Active Kids Voucher been collected by the Centre for the
purposes of the Fee, or for any part of that Fee?   

6.     Does the Centre take on riders for a school term, semester or full
year or a mixture of two or more of these and which category does the
particular rider belong to?

7.     After the end of the COVID-19 lockdown, will the Centre recommence
riding for the remainder of the year?

8.     As a result of the lockdown, once the Centre recommences to operate
this year, is there a possibility that the Centre will continue to ride for
a longer period than normal, for example closer to, or even after,
Christmas, to help make up for the lost riding time due to the closure?

9.     If the riders do not ordinarily ride for the whole year but, for
example, ride to the middle of the year, after resumption, will the Centre
resume with those from the first half of the year or will a new group of
riders commence?

10.  If riders ordinarily ride for the whole year, will those who have been
prevented from riding due to the shutdown be likely to recommence riding
once the shutdown period ends?

11.  Are there any other relevant factors that apply to a rider that the
Centre is aware of and which could affect the decision about the refund of
the Rider Registration Fee?

In relation to question 3, if the funds were paid under an NDIS/NDIA plan,
the amount of any refund which the Board approves in accordance with this
memo needs to be returned to the rider's plan, not to the rider personally.

In relation to question 4, if the funds have not yet been sent to State
Office, then RDA (NSW) cannot be expected to directly refund any part of the
Fee.  Should it be decided that a refund should be made, it would be the
responsibility of the Centre, based on the factors contained in this
guidance memo and approval given by the Board, to refund that part of the
Fee as may be approved with any amount not refunded to be forwarded to State
Office.

 In relation to question 5, the Centre would need to return the amount to
Active Kids and the funds cannot be refunded to the rider and it could
potentially then be available for use in another authorised activity for
that rider.

The answers to the above could give an indication on whether or not the Fee
should be refunded and, if refunded, how much of it should be refunded. This
is because if the riders who have missed out on riding as a result of the
shutdown could be expected to be riding when riding recommences, refunding
now will only result in the need for the rider to repay the Fee before
resuming riding again.  

Of course, there are issues of hardship which need to be considered, but
these are best dealt with on a case by case basis depending on the facts.

There may be many different scenarios identified above which may apply to a
Centre, so the Centre would need to address the situation on a rider by
rider (or group of riders) basis.

Clearly, the Centre would be in a much better position to address the above
matters than the Board is.  As a result, the Centre would need to review
every request for a refund of the Rider Registration Fee and, based on the
above criteria as a guide, make a recommendation to the Board on whether any
part of the amount which the Centre considers should be refunded and why the
refund should be made.  In making that recommendation, factors the Centre
needs to address include such things as those identified above.

Based on the information that the Centre provides the Board, the Board will
be in a better position to determine whether there should be any refund of
the Rider Registration Fee and, if a refund is to be made, how much should
be made.  State Office can then process a refund to the Centre (if the
amount had been forwarded to State Office by the Centre).  The Centre can
then refund that amount as indicated above and confirm to State Office that
the refund has been made.

If your Centre has any question, or needs any assistance in making a
decision, in relation to this, please let the Board know via State Office.

Regards,

Joseph Orland

Honorary Director, Finance Officer & Company Secretary

Riding for the Disabled Association (NSW)

Quad 1, Level 2, 8 Parkview Drive, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW

(PO Box 710  Sydney Markets  NSW  2129)

Ph: (02) 8736 1256   Mob: 0407 004 019

Email:  <mailto:stateoffice at rdansw.org.au> joseph.orland at rdansw.org.au

Web:  <http://www.rdansw.org.au/> www.rdansw.org.au

"Riding Develops Abilities"

Donations of $2.00 or more are tax deductible

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