Hertfordshire Development Centre room booking terms and conditions
1. Confirmed booking – the booking contract
You will receive an email confirmation of your booking together with a unique booking ID. This email will signify that the booking is confirmed upon the basis that you agree to pay all the charges set out in the booking contract. If there are any changes to, or cancellation of, the booking contract by you then the relevant cancellation charges will apply in accordance with clause 8 of these conditions. Hertfordshire Development Centre (HDC) reserves the right to refuse a booking.
2. Price increases
HDC prices and terms and conditions are reviewed annually on 1 April, in line with Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) pricing policies. When you book, you agree to pay our charges as set out in the booking contract at the current rate. HDC reserves the right to amend its charges from the figures quoted to you when you make the booking, in line with the annual review. HDC will let you know in writing of any changes to the charges after the date of your booking.
3. Final catering booking details
HDC requires final details of numbers, food catering and day delegate rate (DDR), 11 working days in advance of the event. These booking details will form the minimum for which you will be charged. If HDC does not receive the booking details 11 working days before your event, charges will be based on the most recent information given. Any subsequent increase in requirements will be subject to an additional charge. Beverage numbers can be changed up to 1 full working day before the date of your event.
4. Extra catering or other facilities
If you ask for extra catering or other facilities within 5 working days of your booking, HDC will use its best efforts to provide them but cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet your requests. You should contact HDC about increases in numbers as soon as possible.
5. Car parking
Parking onsite at Stevenage Campus is reserved for staff, occasional visitors to the offices and disabled delegates. Arrangements can also be made for trainers and event leaders to park on site. Please contact the Centre Management team prior to the event to arrange this. All other delegates and visitors to the training centre will need to use either the HDC delegate car park (8 minutes walk away) or one of the commercial car parks in Stevenage town centre.Parking in the delegate car park is limited and controlled. Whilst every effort will be made to allocate a parking space, in the event of none being available, HCC has no obligation to provide parking for visitors to the
training centre.
HDC is easily accessible by public transport, being approximately 10 minutes walk from Stevenage bus and railway stations.
Users of this car park do so entirely at their own risk. Hertfordshire County Council does not accept any liability for theft of vehicles or loss from and/or damage to vehicles and their contents however caused whilst using this car park. Delegates not wishing to make use of the delegate car park may choose to park their vehicles in a public car park within the Stevenage area at their own cost.
6. VAT
The prices quoted are exclusive of VAT. For all non-HCC customers, VAT at the current government rate at the time of the event will be added to the final invoice.
7. Paying for your booking
Our payment terms are 30 days from invoice for commercial and partner organisations. For internal HCC bookings, charges will be made monthly through journal transfer.
8. Cancellations / amendments to bookings
All notification of cancellations for room, equipment or catering bookings must be communicated to HDC by email (for external customers) or via the FMeasy booking system (for internal customers).
Note: notice period refers to the date of cancellation up to but NOT including the date of the event. If numbers for an event fall drastically, HDC reserves the right to relocate the booking to alternative space within the venue as best fits the revised numbers).
Cancellation charges will apply as follows:
a) Room* and / or equipment hire
| Number of days prior to event | Proportion of total cost for which you're liable |
|---|
| 1 working days or more notice |
0% |
| 10 working days or less notice |
100% |
*With exception of the Oak Room and associated breakout rooms. Note: any specialist equipment ordered for your event will be liable for 100% cancellation charge from the point of booking
b) Oak room and associated breakout rooms bookings
| Number of days prior to event | Proportion of total cost for which you are liable |
|---|
| 31 working days or more notice |
0% |
| 30 working days or less notice |
50% |
| 15 working days or less notice |
100% |
c) Food catering (incl. day delegate rate) bookings
| Number of days prior to event | Proportion of total cost for which you are liable |
|---|
| 11 working days or more notice |
0% |
| 10 working days or less notice |
100% |
d) Non-alcoholic beverage requirements
| Number of days prior to event | Proportion of total cost for which you are liable |
|---|
| More than 1 full working days notice |
0% |
| Less than 1 full working days notice |
100% |
9. Food and drink
Our charges are calculated on the basis that we will provide, in partnership with our catering company, all food and drink that you or your party require. You must NOT provide any other member of your party with food or drink whilst on the HDC premises as this would contravene our contractual agreement with the catering company and you will be charged accordingly.
10. Alcohol
HDC is licensed to sell alcohol in the training centre rooms. Contact the Centre Management Team for details of costs and terms and conditions when booking your event.
11. Termination of a booking
If a booking is cancelled for any reason beyond its control, HDC will accept no liability whatsoever for any loss on your part.
12. Equality and diversity
HDC is part of HCC and, as such, is committed to providing equality and diversity across all its services and among its workforce. Booking at HDC means that you will agree to these terms and conditions and be responsible for ensuring the trainers and delegates at your event are aware of this responsibility. This includes all the key equality strands of disability, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation and carers.