MEMBERSHIP 2014/15: CLOSING DOWN

[David Gilbert]

I've no idea whether other Leagues have done this, but some months ago the London Chess League and the London Public Services Chess League notified their member Clubs that the last date for individual players to join the ECF for the 2014/15 season is Tuesday, 30 June 2015. This was a decision taken by Council at its meeting last October when it accepted the Report of the Director of Membership.

Dave Thomas is reminding non-members that the 2014/15 membership list is closing down through the ECF website. I thought I’d do my bit for publicity and remind players through this Forum that tomorrow is the last day. So if you have been putting this off joining and don’t want a row with your Club Treasurer over a Game Fee bill, now is your time.

My understanding is that new memberships for 2015/16 can start from 1 July 2015 and end on 31 August 2016. Buy 12 months and get two free!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Why the extension next year?

[David Gilbert]

There's no extension Matt. The routine membership year for existing members is from 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016. But new members can start joining from 1 July and get July and August included in the first year for free. What people will no longer be able to do is buy retrospective membership after tomorrow.

[Roger Lancaster]

Has the facility for obtaining 2014-15 membership actually closed down? Checked ECF online facility earlier today and it still appeared to be offering 2014-15 (or 2014-17 three-yearly) membership rather than 2015-16.

[Ian Thompson]

Has the facility for obtaining 2014-15 membership actually closed down? Checked ECF online facility earlier today and it still appeared to be offering 2014-15 (or 2014-17 three-yearly) membership rather than 2015-16.

I assumed from the ECF announcement of 25 June that memberships for 2014-15 were guaranteed to be available online until 30 June and would then be withdrawn without further notice sometime in the first 2 weeks of July.

What's not clear to me is whether it will still be possible to take out 2014-15 memberships by post or telephone once the online facility is withdrawn. (There's no point in me, as a League Treasurer, telling clubs to encourage their players to join the ECF to avoid a large game fee bill if it's no longer possible for them to do that.)

[Roger de Coverly]

What's not clear to me is whether it will still be possible to take out 2014-15 memberships by post or telephone once the online facility is withdrawn.

Back in October 2014 there was a proposition in the report of the Director of Membership
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... r-2014.pdf

in which he stated

Council is also asked to note that:
This proposal will require players who wish to join in arrears for the avoidance of League Game Fee to do so by 30th June.

[Roger Lancaster]

Thanks, Ian and Roger. I think I'm right to be a little confused.