ECF AGM 2022

[Roger de Coverly]

Suppose there is a theoretical way that we could run FIDE rated events more cheaply than we do, and thereby reduce the Gold member rate. (Not by enough to merge it with Silver, because FIDE rating still comes at a cost.)

There are extra costs involved in FIDE rating, but these are nowhere near the extra revenue raised by the difference in price between Silver and Gold membership. It was always a phantom excuse. Once you switch to the primary fund raising method for the ECF to be levies on individual participants, increases in ECF outgo have to be paid for by putting up membership fees.

The direct cost to the ECF is one Euro per player per tournament, which it could if it wanted recoup by a tax on tournaments. It already does this to an extent by charging for the participation of non-English players. Thee's an indirect cost as well as it's one of the tasks of the paid office to look after it. The ECF has never really published an analysis of how the office costs can be divided up by functional area.

[Chris Goodall]

Suppose there is a theoretical way that we could run FIDE rated events more cheaply than we do, and thereby reduce the Gold member rate. (Not by enough to merge it with Silver, because FIDE rating still comes at a cost.)

There are extra costs involved in FIDE rating, but these are nowhere near the extra revenue raised by the difference in price between Silver and Gold membership. It was always a phantom excuse.

My point above is that you need to charge the cost of licensing FIDE arbiters to the Gold members too, as another indirect cost.

It may be that after doing so, most people still don't play enough FIDE rated chess to get their money's worth out of Gold membership, but it is possible. Most people don't play enough ECF rated chess to get their money's worth out of Bronze and Silver membership either.

[Paul Cooksey]

I don't think anyone gets their money's worth in personal benefits, unless Rob's voucher scheme works particularly well for them.

But I think FIDE rated was being used as a way to identify players who took chess more seriously so would be willing to pay more. Probably true ten years ago, but maybe we now want to make FIDE chess the norm, and remove silver membership.

Just in the politics, I'm not sure why we need more FIDE chess so juniors have more accurate FIDE ratings. I thought the recently introduced ECF Elo ratings were going to solve most of our problems with junior ratings. But apparently the board were convinced.

[Chris Goodall]

I don't think anyone gets their money's worth in personal benefits, unless Rob's voucher scheme works particularly well for them.

Well you do if you play in 14 FIDE rated tournaments in a year. Then Gold membership costing £12 saves you £12.17 at the current exchange rate, before even considering the indirect costs.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I don't think anyone gets their money's worth in personal benefits, unless Rob's voucher scheme works particularly well for them."

I was sceptical too, but needed some additional computer equipment and the discount more than paid for the voucher fee in the first week.

[NickFaulks]

I was sceptical too, but needed some additional computer equipment and the discount more than paid for the voucher fee in the first week.

Same here, it has twice worked brilliantly for me. The first time I hadn't even joined, I phoned Apple and asked what discount I would get if I were a member. He said 5%, I said that's a shame, I had heard 10% mentioned and he said sure, I can give you 10%. I did not have the presence of mind to say how about 15%.

[John Reyes]

We will be sending the Silver members report when Robin has wrote it out

[John Reyes]

Silver Member Report by John Reyes (this has been sent to all the silver members and also how i voted as well)


The ECF Annual General Meeting was held at The Signing Tree Conference Centre
I attended the AGM in person and also met my fellow Silver Rep Robert Dennington at the venue. There were 40+ people who attended the AGM via Zoom or face to face.
There were some technical issues with Zoom where the remote attendees could not hear those in the hall. Some of the Board Members were not present owing to holiday or other chess events.
All the reports were accepted, but the Audited Accounts for 2020-21 were not approved – they will be at the next Finance Council meeting.
Elections
Robert and I had a discussion before the meeting to see how many people had got in touch with us – this was around 40 Silver members.
Elections results were as follows ---
Post
Candidate(s)
Votes
Chair of Council
David Eustace
199
Not this candidate
5
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
David Eustace
6
Non-Executive Chairman of the Board
Tim Wall
71
Stephen Woodhouse
151
None of these
1
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
Stephen Woodhouse
Tim Wall
4
2
Director of International Chess
Malcolm Pein
213
Not this candidate
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
Malcolm Pein
6
Director of Events
Shohreh Bayat
219
Not this candidate
2
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
Shohreh Bayat
6
Non-Executive Director
Alan Atkinson
81
Hok Yin Chiu
26
Stephen Greep
126
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
Alan Atkinson
3
Stephen Greep
3
FIDE Representative
Malcolm Pein
185
Not this candidate
2
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
Malcolm Pein
6
Chair of Finance Committee
Nick Faulks
168
Not this candidate
16
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
Nick Faulks
6
Member of Governance Committee
Mike Gunn
195
Silver Members Vote from John Reyes
Mike Gunn
6
Malcolm Pein mention that he will be stepping down as International Director in 2025 and that he has a few people in mind to be his potential successor.
‘Venue for meetings’ motion that John Reyes put forward at the meeting
that the first sentence of paragraph 2.1 of the Procedural Byelaws to read as follows:
“The Finance Council and Annual General Meeting shall be held successively in London, Birmingham and either Manchester or Leeds commencing with London for the Annual General Meeting in 2023.”
This was passed by a hand vote, and I was very happy with that.
Honorary Life Member Ray Edwards was made an Honorary Life Member of the ECF - well done, Ray.
The Finance meeting will be via Zoom on the 22nd April 2023. I hope this report proves useful to you all. Any questions - please get in touch.

[John Upham]

I suspect we will not see another physical AGM or Finance Meeting since that would be a waste of fuel, time and energy and funds from the ECF.

You could allow people who are determined to travel many miles to come together at a venue paid for by ECF funds and then join the same zoom meeting where they can speak to each via Zoom.

It reminds me of teenagers standing together at a bus stop communicating with each other via Instabook or whatever is it trendy for them to use.

Joseph Heller might have written about this sort of thing and Kenneth Williams famously referenced this on March 15th, 44 BC.