Strategic Planning Officer

[Carl Hibbard]

Some news:-

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/

Andrew Farthing has been appointed as the Strategic Planning Officer

Who?

Doing what?

[IM Jack Rudd]

The guy from Worcester? He plays in quite a few congresses in the South-West.

[John Upham]

I wonder what he is planning?

Could he enlist the help of Baldrick?

Best of luck as they say in darts matches!

[John Philpott]

The Strategic Planning Officer reports to the Chief Executive and has responsibilities for the production of the Corporate Plan, the Annual Business Plan and the Annual Achievement Report against the previous year's Annual Business Plan. Andrew is indeed "the guy from Worcester" and is not one of the "usual suspects" in terms of ECF posts, but that should hardly be seen as a disqualification. He does hold some chess administrative posts, being a Non-Executive Director of the MCCU and organiser of the Worcester & District League individual competitions. Perhaps of more direct relevance to the post he has taken on he is a former Head of Risk and Compliance, Business Banking for Lloyds TSB, where his responsibilities included production of an annual business plan and regular monitoring and formal reporting against that plan. This is an appointment that should be welcomed.

[Carl Hibbard]

The Strategic Planning Officer reports to the Chief Executive and has responsibilities for the production of the Corporate Plan, the Annual Business Plan and the Annual Achievement Report against the previous year's Annual Business Plan. Andrew is indeed "the guy from Worcester" and is not one of the "usual suspects" in terms of ECF posts, but that should hardly be seen as a disqualification. He does hold some chess administrative posts, being a Non-Executive Director of the MCCU and organiser of the Worcester & District League individual competitions. Perhaps of more direct relevance to the post he has taken on he is a former Head of Risk and Compliance, Business Banking for Lloyds TSB, where his responsibilities included production of an annual business plan and regular monitoring and formal reporting against that plan. This is an appointment that should be welcomed.

Cool, he is welcomed into the post and naturally also welcome to join this forum if he is allowed to that is?

[raycollett]

Hi,
I can confirm John's comments on Andrew Farthing's suitability. Andrew has been a member of Worcester City Club for the last 4 years. To my knowledge, he has contributed to local chess by being a team captain, helping to organise a junior chess tournament, and is controller of a league tournament in Worcestershire. He is a reasonably strong club player, has represented Worcestershire and has been very active in the tournament circuit over the last year, mainly in limited grading events. In summary, he's like many active players: he's decent, will listen to ideas, and do his best to support the game. I hope he's successful in helping the ECF Board to pursue feasible policies that can be supported by most club players.
Regards - Ray Collett (Committee member, Worcester City Chess Club)

[E Michael White]

Perhaps of more direct relevance to the post he has taken on he is a former Head of Risk and Compliance, Business Banking for Lloyds TSB, where his responsibilities included production of an annual business plan and regular monitoring and formal reporting against that plan.

Is this really a commendation in today's banking fiasco driven recession ?

[Laurie Roberts]

Perhaps of more direct relevance to the post he has taken on he is a former Head of Risk and Compliance, Business Banking for Lloyds TSB, where his responsibilities included production of an annual business plan and regular monitoring and formal reporting against that plan.

Is this really a commendation in today's banking fiasco driven recession ?

For crying out loud, some people want to see the doom in everything.

[E Michael White]

I was thinking we might see a strategy starting along these lines :-

1 Investment in American subprime
American players under 2000 will automatically be included in the England Olympic Selection process.

2. Basel 2 and other Banking Agreements

Basel Brush will be the next President of the ECF.

3. Derivatives

Although the Governor of the Bank of England and the President of the ECF do not understand the implication of some modern derivatives, games played under the following variant rules will be included in ECF gradings - Pass the Pieces, Take me and Fischerandom.

5. Negative grades

Negative grade numbers will be carried forward as if positive. At the end of the season if a clubs total grade membership is negative 50,000 ECF grading points will be available to each club by creating fictitious reserve players off the grading list who lend their points to balance out the figures. The committee do not know whether this will result in deflation or inflation but the ECF accept their role as grader of last resort.

6. Interfederation lending

It is hoped to encourage the loan of FIDE points between the Welsh, Scottish and English Chess Federations.

7. Long Term Costs

The expected long term cost of these measures is that the Game Fee will increase to £20 per game or equivalently $2 or E3.0

[Roger de Coverly]

I was thinking we might see a strategy starting along these lines :-

8 Qualitative Easing

The ECF graders are proposing to add free grading points to most players and don't believe this will lead to grade inflation.

[Paul McKeown]

8 Qualitative Easing

The ECF graders are proposing to add free grading points to most players and don't believe this will lead to grade inflation.

Roger,

I couldn't agree more. Are we the only one's who see the insanity of the proposed changes to the grading system? Sometime I despair. ... and sometime I weep.

Seasonal greetings,
Paul.

[Michele Clack]

8 Qualitative Easing

The ECF graders are proposing to add free grading points to most players and don't believe this will lead to grade inflation.[/quote]

Not that old chesnut again! The grading system has looked deflated at the lower end of the spectrum for years to a lot of people. IMO the correction won't be far off going on results for people in our club.

GETTING BACK TO THE POINT- I know Andrew Farthing and I suspect he will bring a great deal to the ECF. I might even renew my subscription now. The only thing I have against him is that he beat me in the Worcs & District League a few weeks ago, but I did make a complete mess of the opening and deserved to lose! At the Worcestershire County AGM last summer he came across as intelligent, fairminded and sensible.

[Carl Hibbard]

GETTING BACK TO THE POINT- I know Andrew Farthing and I suspect he will bring a great deal to the ECF. I might even renew my subscription now. The only thing I have against him is that he beat me in the Worcs & District League a few weeks ago, but I did make a complete mess of the opening and deserved to lose! At the Worcestershire County AGM last summer he came across as intelligent, fairminded and sensible.

Good, anyone who knows him try to get him online please see what his plans are?

[Ben Purton]

I agree with Roger and Paul , I dont think there has been deflation. Excuse me for being a 22 year old so Ive only been without my "junior bonus" for 3-4 seasons. However!

I am now getting a 160+x performance against people who havent been 160 ever.

So it will of course add to overall inflation. In Economics its more complicated, but if you pump more points in to the grading system, it will overtime cause overall inflation in most walks or "sections" of chess.

Ben

[raycollett]

Perhaps of more direct relevance to the post he has taken on he is a former Head of Risk and Compliance, Business Banking for Lloyds TSB, where his responsibilities included production of an annual business plan and regular monitoring and formal reporting against that plan.

Is this really a commendation in today's banking fiasco driven recession ?

Perhaps he left the industry a few years ago because he was unhappy about the way banks assessed risk and remunerated senior staff. Regards - Ray