Civil Service - ECF Agreement

[David Gilbert]

Just seen this. The Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) have negotiated an arrangement with the ECF whereby the CSSC will make a £10 refund to its members who join or renew their ECF membership before 31 August 2013. The offer is open to both existing and new members of the CSSC. Details at http://www.cssc.co.uk/Get10refundECFmembership.aspx. So some players at my Club who are also CSSC members have had their subs cut by 50% and now they'll get a £10 rebate. They'll be quids in! CSSC membership is open to everyone who works in the Civil Service or other public sector organisations, and also their friends and families through the Linked Membership scheme. Sadly for me I gave up my CSSC membership after 40 years when the Civil Service Recreation Centre in Chadwick Street closed its doors for the last time. Never mind!

[Roger de Coverly]

Just seen this. The Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) have negotiated an arrangement with the ECF whereby the CSSC will make a £10 refund to its members who join or renew their ECF membership before 31 August 2013. The offer is open to both existing and new members of the CSSC. Details at http://www.cssc.co.uk/Get10refundECFmembership.aspx.

Just to clarify, membership of CSSC costs £ 3.70 a month , which is £ 44.40 a year. This entitles the individual to a £ 10 rebate if they are also members of the ECF. So who is financing this, the ECF or the CSSC? The minimum cost is then £ 44.40 + £ 12 - £ 10 so £ 46.20 a year. (edit)

[Kevin Thurlow]

A couple of years ago, CSSC closed down the London CS Recreation Centre. The CSSC decided last year to cease funding of ALL representative matches in ALL sports (etc.) (In the good old days, CS used to play the touring cricket teams!) This year they decided also to slash the funding for chess by 80 %. (All three decisions were made without consultation.) By now, most of the funding had gone on the National individual championship, where trophies were awarded for the top three players (no cash prizes), but qualifiers got accommodation, food and T & S. CS Chess was told it was lucky to get anything as some other activities were not funded at all. The National individual event limps on this year, with players paying their own way or getting some funding from CSSC regions.

Not surprisingly, many people (not just chessplayers) stopped paying their subscriptions! They thought Civil Service Sports Council does not seem to support sports. Members can get exciting shopping vouchers or go on 'Jack the Ripper' walks though. Government funding has ceased for a number of activities of course, but CSSC members are paying a subscription as well.

The old Civil Service Chess Association ceased to exist and Ihor Lewyk was appointed as National Chess Organiser. He pointed out that CSSC were driving people away, and persuaded them to support the playing of chess by CSSC members, by subsidising membership. (CSSC is supposed to be about participation, not competition.) Therefore, any CSSC member who joins the ECF can subsequently claim some of the money back from CSSC. As far as I know, the ECF is not involved at all - it still gets money from members. This is a benefit for CSSC members, not a penalty for anyone else.

And CSSC have now had second thoughts, and it will fund some representative matches.

[James Toon]

The CSSC are presenting this as a rebate that they've negotiated with the ECF. It's hard to see what the ECF get out of this, and I assume the CSSC are bearing the full cost. (I'm sure someone will correct me if that's not the case.)

If so, the CSSC are effectively offering a £10 discount on their membership. The offer might boost their numbers – or maybe just the publicity will help. Either way, I doubt it will bring back the members who left when the CSSC closed its London base a few years ago. As I recall, it wasn't just the decision to close it that caused concern, but the lack of consultation with the membership.

[Sean Hewitt]

The CSSC are presenting this as a rebate that they've negotiated with the ECF. It's hard to see what the ECF get out of this, and I assume the CSSC are bearing the full cost. (I'm sure someone will correct me if that's not the case.)

There was a discussion with the ECF and the scheme as published was agreed between the two prior to being announced.

Anything that makes ECF membership more attractive is a good thing from the ECF's perspective.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Sean is right - I would imagine the ECF might get more members. Ten pounds makes a large dent in bronze membership, and might encourage any waverers. And as I stated earlier, I believe this is intended as a benefit to CSSC members, nothing more and nothing less. I assume CSSC and ECF discussed it as a matter of courtesy?

James is also right, many people were upset with the closure of the London Recreation Centre, without consultation. CSSC then organised a meeting to discuss the closure, but by then the contracts had been signed with the demolition company, so the meeting was rather pointless! Some of us were less than amused that CSSC said the closure would benefit members.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"James is also right, many people were upset with the closure of the London Recreation Centre, without consultation. CSSC then organised a meeting to discuss the closure, but by then the contracts had been signed with the demolition company, so the meeting was rather pointless! Some of us were less than amused that CSSC said the closure would benefit members."

CSSC state that the demolition contract was not signed before the belated meeting to discuss the closure of the Recreation Centre, and were quite cross about what I said.

They did not dispute anything else.