Chief Executive 2021

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.

Chief Executive 2021

Mike Truran
51
62%
Malcolm Pein
25
30%
None of the above
6
7%
 
Total votes: 82

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Chris Goodall
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Chris Goodall » Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:14 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:50 am
I see no evidence at all that the 'million' will have any real effect.

Their steeds will continue to be placed on a3 and h3; and no doubt their rooks on the same squares, ready to be swallowed by bishops.

But what's an exchange between friends?
That's fine! We'll bring back Division 4. A critical mass of beginners all joining at the same time is better than one beginner a year.

Terrible players don't necessarily raise the pyramid by studying hard and becoming good players. Some of them remain terrible players. They raise the pyramid by providing an appropriate level of competition for the talented beginners in their first season, so that the talented beginners don't give up after a year and play poker.
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Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:19 pm

Well, clubs need members, tournaments need entrants. So everyone should be encouraged to play. 10 beginners joining a club are more valuable than one IM.

Angus French
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Angus French » Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:39 pm

Just to expand on my earlier post - the ECF did commit (at its 2018 AGM) to new expenditure of £44.5K/yr with £18.5K/yr of that requested from trust funds. The new money was for investment in women's chess, international chess and a development officer (and also to fund salary increases for the Office staff). Further, it doesn't show in the ECF's own accounts but the Chess Trust does provide funding for the Accelerator Programme (chess development for the most promising juniors) - see the Chess Trust website here and in particular the accounts which are made available. In total and so far as I can see, the Chess Trust spent £57K on sponsorship and grants, the Accelerator Programme and other coaching in 2019/20. The idea that the ECF doesn't invest and that money is stuck in trust funds and not used is, I think, incorrect.

Hok Yin Stephen Chiu
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Hok Yin Stephen Chiu » Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:54 pm

Graham Borrowdale wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:10 pm
I think the ECF is as much use to the million putting their rooks on a3 and h3 as the Football Association is to kids using coats for goalposts in their back gardens.
Fully agree, I suppose chess ability could be viewed like a pyramid; somewhere, there is a line, above which, one is proficient/engaged/interested enough to want to join the ECF. And, whether the ECF is able to push the line down and include more people, is obviously, the big challenge.

The danger in the debate about development officers and so many other debates.. is that, it turns into a game of "we must DO something" "here is SOMETHING" "Ah, we must DO it"...

The ECF provides countless opportunities for certain individuals, whether it is for elite chess players or training arbiters, etc. However to the average 110 member, the ECF is just something we pay to get a grade at a congress/rapidplay.. is it ultimately an intractable problem, because perhaps building grassroot chess really just revolves around empowering and supporting local leagues/clubs, and is far less about top down IDEAS from a guy in a far away office.. localism in practice, methinks...
Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:19 pm
Well, clubs need members, tournaments need entrants. So everyone should be encouraged to play. 10 beginners joining a club are more valuable than one IM.
Once again, this is a very excellent point. Of course, 11 players joining a club, including one IM might be nice..... but that might be wishful thinking here haha...
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Alex McFarlane
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Alex McFarlane » Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:28 pm

But will the club keep the 10 beginners?

Many years ago I was Junior Director for Chess Scotland and asked clubs if they were junior friendly. The answer from one club was "Of course we are. They have that corner of the room where they play each other." I paraphrase a bit but that was the gist of its answer. That club is no more.

I fear that unless clubs realise that getting new members is only a small part of the battle, but keeping them will be the major achievement.

Will a development officer help these clubs? That might depend on what is planned. Collating best practice would be a start. Does that require two or more people? I don't know. Does it need to be a paid post or can a volunteer be found to do the 'paperwork'?

Some video of successful clubs in action showing best practice would be a start but I'd hate to think that a development officer would spend most of their time getting signatures on release forms from people saying that they are willing to be filmed!

John Reyes
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by John Reyes » Sun Sep 19, 2021 3:00 pm

Angus French wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:39 pm
Just to expand on my earlier post - the ECF did commit (at its 2018 AGM) to new expenditure of £44.5K/yr with £18.5K/yr of that requested from trust funds. The new money was for investment in women's chess, international chess and a development officer (and also to fund salary increases for the Office staff). Further, it doesn't show in the ECF's own accounts but the Chess Trust does provide funding for the Accelerator Programme (chess development for the most promising juniors) - see the Chess Trust website here and in particular the accounts which are made available. In total and so far as I can see, the Chess Trust spent £57K on sponsorship and grants, the Accelerator Programme and other coaching in 2019/20. The idea that the ECF doesn't invest and that money is stuck in trust funds and not used is, I think, incorrect.
Thanks for that and I do feel that there a simple issue

Do you think the ecf has doing well running chess at the moment

If you think yes Vote for Mike and no vote for Malcolm

If you feel you want to blow the pif funds and spend money on development officers till the money is gone and it’s will vote for Malcolm but if you want the chess trust to kept hold of the money and used calculated and logic risk, then vote for Mike

I’m writing my silver member section and so far it is version one at the moment

“As your representative, I want to hear your views as to how to cast your votes, so please let me know your thoughts.

I don’t have a problem with the way the ECF has been run, so I would suggest the incumbent CEO and Governance Chairman should be re-elected; the election of the Women’s Director seems to have 2 good candidates. I won’t tell you how to vote but you are there to instructed us and I feel people don’t have your interests to heart, but never listen to your views and as people know me, I always vote how you tell me.

Full disclosure: I have recently been elected as ECF Delegate for the Manchester Chess Federation (MCF). I have been instructed to cast the MCF votes for Mike Truran, Robert Stern and Fenella Headlong.”
Any postings on here represent my personal views only and also Dyslexia as well

Mick Norris
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Mick Norris » Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:58 pm

Angus French wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:39 pm
Just to expand on my earlier post - the ECF did commit (at its 2018 AGM) to new expenditure of £44.5K/yr with £18.5K/yr of that requested from trust funds. The new money was for investment in women's chess, international chess and a development officer (and also to fund salary increases for the Office staff). Further, it doesn't show in the ECF's own accounts but the Chess Trust does provide funding for the Accelerator Programme (chess development for the most promising juniors) - see the Chess Trust website here and in particular the accounts which are made available. In total and so far as I can see, the Chess Trust spent £57K on sponsorship and grants, the Accelerator Programme and other coaching in 2019/20. The idea that the ECF doesn't invest and that money is stuck in trust funds and not used is, I think, incorrect.
And moreover, transferring capital out of a Trust is likely to incur a tax charge; Malcolm wants to transfer c£200K into the ECF from the BCF/PIF according to his Election Address, how much of that would be needlessly lost to tax?
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Nick Ivell
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Nick Ivell » Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:05 pm

An excellent point. Is there something we're not being told about capital gains tax?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:25 pm

Mick Norris wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:58 pm
And moreover, transferring capital out of a Trust is likely to incur a tax charge
Are you thinking that selling to raise cash or transferring assets from the BCF's PIF could incur a Capital Gains Tax charge? Presumably transfer to Chess Trust (a charity) doesn't incur these charges. That's where the Finance Committee should establish the facts for the guidance of Council.

Someone should try to establish the veracity of the supposed one million UK online players. But perhaps like FIDE's 640 million it's a number where no amount of scrutiny will ever establish a reliable source.

Andrew Zigmond
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Andrew Zigmond » Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:28 pm

I considered starting a new thread about this particular point.

I have heard it reported that Malcolm Pein, if elected, will vacate the CEO post as soon as he can appoint a successor. I sincerely hope that this is not the case but it would be useful if Malcolm could confirm it. In any case the question of what will happen to the International Directorship if Malcolm vacates it remains unanswered.
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J T Melsom
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by J T Melsom » Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:39 pm

So a vote for Malcolm won't necessarily get you Malcolm for a full term?! Hard to see how many of those prepared to give Malcolm's idea's some consideration would accept the further disruption this would cause. I hope it is just a false rumour, as its hard to see it as a strategy to grow chess, which in their different ways is surely what motivates both candidates for Chief Exec.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:26 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:39 pm
So a vote for Malcolmv won't necessarily get you Malcolm for a full term?! Hard to see how many of those prepared to give Malcolm's idea's some consideration would accept the further disruption this would cause.
If you wanted a conspiracy theory, it would be that Malcolm is a stalking horse for a candidate that members of Council would be most unlikely to vote for as CEO, even against "not this candidate".

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Adam Raoof
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by Adam Raoof » Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:38 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:39 pm
So a vote for Malcolm won't necessarily get you Malcolm for a full term?! Hard to see how many of those prepared to give Malcolm's idea's some consideration would accept the further disruption this would cause. I hope it is just a false rumour, as its hard to see it as a strategy to grow chess, which in their different ways is surely what motivates both candidates for Chief Exec.
Who started this rumour?
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John Swain
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by John Swain » Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:39 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:25 pm
Mick Norris wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:58 pm
And moreover, transferring capital out of a Trust is likely to incur a tax charge
Are you thinking that selling to raise cash or transferring assets from the BCF's PIF could incur a Capital Gains Tax charge? Presumably transfer to Chess Trust (a charity) doesn't incur these charges. That's where the Finance Committee should establish the facts for the guidance of Council.
.....
This is crucial. Council members need to know what is certain if the BCF's PIF funds are transferred to either the ECF or to the Chess Trust, not what is "likely".

Malcolm Pein's Election Address states that "Mike's view, expressed in several board meetings and specified in the draft 21-22 ECF Strategy Statement and Business Plan, is that some or all of the BCF assets should be moved to the Chess Trust ..."

What is certainly the case is that if BCF funds are transferred to the Chess Trust, Council loses any control over how the money is spent; it is then vested solely in the Trustees.

J T Melsom
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Re: Chief Executive 2021

Post by J T Melsom » Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:54 pm

Adam Raoof wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 7:38 pm
J T Melsom wrote:
Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:39 pm
So a vote for Malcolm won't necessarily get you Malcolm for a full term?! Hard to see how many of those prepared to give Malcolm's idea's some consideration would accept the further disruption this would cause. I hope it is just a false rumour, as its hard to see it as a strategy to grow chess, which in their different ways is surely what motivates both candidates for Chief Exec.
Who started this rumour?
I don't know who started the rumour but (a) it is always open to Malcolm to deny it's veracity and (b) it doesn't seem implausible, given that most analysis suggests Mike can only be removed by a chess organiser of repute. Not sure we are likely to find out either way, but it has a ring of truth about it. And it matters because whilst the period of service of any volunteer cannot be guaranteed, we are talking about an election between candidates with differing approaches and setting the ECF on a different path and walking away isn't really what I and I suspect others really want. And we have seen the sort of people Malcolm surrounds himself with, not sure I'd like to see them left in charge. It is true that in many cases the good may outweigh the bad, but its often a marginal call, and if there is no effort to change or reduce the bad, then the good becomes increasingly tarnished.