Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:08 pm

"CEM asked the Board to consider their actions very carefully. During the history of the ECF, a Director had never been removed from Office."

This may well be true, although I do wonder if he's including BCF. In view of both organisations' habitual secrecy, it's difficult to judge. However, many years ago when Peter M Shaw was President of BCF, he survived a vote of no confidence by one vote. This was kept secret (well, not entirely obviously or I wouldn't know). I suppose at least now we are seeing exciting minutes.

Nigel Short
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Nigel Short » Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:12 pm

John McKenna wrote:Nigel, if all that you wrote above was not patently obvious at the start you have perhaps confirmed suspicions.
What do you suggest should be done now?
I would suggest we get a new President of the ECF.

Angus French
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Angus French » Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:13 pm

Nigel Short wrote:
John McKenna wrote:Nigel, if all that you wrote above was not patently obvious at the start you have perhaps confirmed suspicions.
What do you suggest should be done now?
I would suggest we get a new President of the ECF.
I think a number of others should also be replaced.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:32 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:This was kept secret
You surprise me
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

John McKenna

Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by John McKenna » Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:34 pm

Angus French wrote:
Nigel Short wrote:
John McKenna wrote:Nigel, if all that you wrote above was not patently obvious at the start you have perhaps confirmed suspicions.
What do you suggest should be done now?
I would suggest we get a new President of the ECF.
I think a number of others should also be replaced.
Strange to say I'd be sorry to see Andrew & Nigel both go - they are "big beasts". However, if the Earl of Essex (off with the heads) is the only way let's replace them with a queen & princess.

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Carl Hibbard
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Carl Hibbard » Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:28 pm

The people on the board who voted for removal and are members here are rather quiet?
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

Andrew Martin
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Andrew Martin » Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:36 pm

What could they say that doesn't make a terrible situation worse?

Steve Rooney
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Steve Rooney » Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:44 pm

Carl Hibbard wrote:The people on the board who voted for removal and are members here are rather quiet?
I'm not sure I would expect them to say any more at this stage. The draft minutes are quite revealing regarding their position. Obviously some unfinished business remains whilst the president thinks he can continue regardless, but hopefully this is just a temporary problem since he has lost the confidence of the board and has no future in English chess.

Chris Rice
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Chris Rice » Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:05 pm

Carl Hibbard wrote:The people on the board who voted for removal and are members here are rather quiet?
With the publication of the draft minutes it appears we clearly know where everyone stands and why. Effectively the ECF Board is paralysed. Perhaps the right person to go to is John Philpott as it appears to be a constitutional crisis. I'm certainly not claiming to be an expert on it but from the Articles of Association on the ECF Documents page it appears that Articles 58 & 59 provide an option to convene a General Meeting (in this case I guess an Extraordinary General Meeting) sack the entire ECF Board and elect a new one? I assume all the present post-holders would be free to stand again.

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:35 pm

Chris Rice wrote: ... I assume all the present post-holders would be free to stand again.
Perhaps they all would!

Gordon Cadden
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Gordon Cadden » Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:38 pm

According to Chessvibes, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov holds 51% of the shares in Agon. This makes Andrew Paulsen a puppet for the F.I.D.E President.

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Carl Hibbard
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Carl Hibbard » Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:44 pm

Gordon Cadden wrote:According to Chessvibes, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov holds 51% of the shares in Agon. This makes Andrew Paulsen a puppet for the F.I.D.E President.
Behind the news curve a little Gordon so you may need to catch up!

See the latest Kevin Spraggett post maybe?
Last edited by Carl Hibbard on Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: His blog post that is!
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

David Robertson

Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by David Robertson » Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:48 pm

If I recall my Company Law properly - and I may not because it's complex, so be kind - the Companies Act (2006) makes it straightforward in principle to remove a Director (sect. 168-169 apply). Board-level bust-ups are far from uncommon in real life. So we can shrug off the finger-wagging fulminations of pontificators like Justin Horton, and get on with our lives. To date, given the bust-up, the Board has behaved appropriately; and the CEO has done the right thing in clarifying where Directors stand.

Board 'paralysis' will only endure if nothing else is now done. The next step is crucial. Only the Company's Members (ie ECF Council) can remove a Director. Hence, a special meeting must be convened specifically to dispose of the matter by resolution. Members, or Directors, can move such a resolution, to which the named Director must be granted right of response. Presumably counter-resolutions naming other Directors can be moved too. A majority vote for removal completes the business.

So far so good, by law. But things can get messy in practice. The Director named for removal has a platform from which to grandstand (his) claims. For most companies, this is a minor irritant because there is no audience. Things could be rather different for ECF, given reckless behaviour by some. Alas, it seems the only way to go - the sooner, the better - in order that Council can resolve the matter, and 'own' the outcome.

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:48 pm

Weather forecast on the EC Forum:

Dark clouds and overcast on Friday afternoon until about 2 am on Saturday, and then lightening up just a little as we head into the 4NCL weekend

Mike Truran
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Re: Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

Post by Mike Truran » Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:54 pm

Big Dave's update from Hinckley Island forty minutes ago:
Sunny, then pouring, now just dull.