Nominations for the elections at the ECF AGM

[Sean Hewitt]

Alex H >Warwickshire's delegate could appoint you as a proxy if he wanted, but equally, he could appoint Brad Pitt, Hosni Mubarak or Wayne Rooney if so inclined.<

That's interesting. I didn't know they were ECF Members.

He didn't say that they were. There is no requirement for a person holding a proxy to be an ECF member, and it would be illegal to attempt to make it thus.

[Simon Brown]

Alex H >Warwickshire's delegate could appoint you as a proxy if he wanted, but equally, he could appoint Brad Pitt, Hosni Mubarak or Wayne Rooney if so inclined.<

That's interesting. I didn't know they were ECF Members.

Stewart, company law does actually apply to the ECF. If Brad rocked up with a proxy, you couldn't refuse him.

[John Philpott]

There has been one change to the intentions of the existing Board members indicated on the website. Chris Mattos, the Finance Director, has decided that in view of the need to free up time in the coming year for the arrival of child number 3 at a time of increased work commitments, he will not stand for re-election. There will be a candidate for this position. I am delighted to say that Chris is keen to retain an involvement with the finance team and to provide input to the charitable status project.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Where is the AGM being held this time?

[John Philpott]

Christopher Kreuzer wrote

Where is the AGM being held this time?

At the Euston Square Hotel. There is a "dates for your diary" calendar on the ECF website at http://www.englishchess.org.uk/calendar ... you-diary/which gives information of this nature.

[David Pardoe]

The elections for Bronze, Silver & Gold representatives should get a higher profile I think, and, because these people actually represent large swathes of the grass roots membership, maybe the Bronze group should actually get 10 votes, as should Silver & Gold categories...
Maybe any candidates could lobby for some change to give greater voting powers to these groups...it might also stir greater interest from potential candidates.
Have we got any names for cadidates for these posts....and maybe any interested candidates could put out a brief statement or background info...
Here`s the list/info from ECF website regarding the posts...nominations close on 4th Sept...

Direct Member Representatives
Nominations are invited for Direct Member Representatives to take office for a period of one year from the end of the Annual General Meeting to be held on 12 October 2013. For the purpose of the election of Representatives, Direct Members are grouped into the following five categories:

(a) Honorary Life Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, Corporate Vice Presidents, Honorary Life Members and Life Members.
(b) Gold Members and Gold Concessionary Members.
(c) Silver Members and Silver Concessionary Members.
(d) Bronze Members and Bronze Concessionary Members.
(e) Platinum Members

Each of these five categories is entitled to elect two Representatives. Nominations are sought among the five categories. If there are more than two nominations in any category, a first two past the post election will be held in that category in accordance with instructions to be issued by the Board.

Representatives are members of Council, must be Direct Members in the category for which they are elected at the time of election and remain Direct Members throughout their period of office. New nominations need to be made by a Direct Member who is in the same group of members as the nominee and accepted by the latter.

To be eligible, nominations and acceptances must be received at the ECF office by 13.30 on Wednesday 4 September 2013.
.

[Andrew Zigmond]

David Pardoe's idea is a good one but the problem would be local league and county representatives who are unlikely to vote for anything that would diminish their influence and ability to protect their vested interest. The arbiter bloc tends to be criticised for having too much sway and no doubt those criticisms will be repeated after the AGM but it's the league and county associations I've always seen as the blockers.

Of course league and county representatives (unlike event organisers) do have a constituency and could be voted out if there was a clamour for change amongst the grassroots. As things stand it's something of a catch 22 situation; more direct member influence would awaken interest from the grassroots who are at present apathetic about ECF affairs. The paradox - more influence would awaken them from their apathy but they won't awake from that apathy until they have more influence.

[Neil Graham]

There has been one change to the intentions of the existing Board members indicated on the website. Chris Mattos, the Finance Director, has decided that in view of the need to free up time in the coming year for the arrival of child number 3 at a time of increased work commitments, he will not stand for re-election. There will be a candidate for this position. I am delighted to say that Chris is keen to retain an involvement with the finance team and to provide input to the charitable status project.

Bearing in mind that the ECF Board rejected two candidates for CEO, can we be advised who this candidate for Finance Director is and whether he/she has been interviewed by the board? Or is it a secret?

[IM Jack Rudd]

There has been one change to the intentions of the existing Board members indicated on the website. Chris Mattos, the Finance Director, has decided that in view of the need to free up time in the coming year for the arrival of child number 3 at a time of increased work commitments, he will not stand for re-election. There will be a candidate for this position. I am delighted to say that Chris is keen to retain an involvement with the finance team and to provide input to the charitable status project.

Bearing in mind that the ECF Board rejected two candidates for CEO, can we be advised who this candidate for Finance Director is and whether he/she has been interviewed by the board? Or is it a secret?

The candidate in question has not yet divulged whether e would like eir identity known yet.

[Neil Graham]

There has been one change to the intentions of the existing Board members indicated on the website. Chris Mattos, the Finance Director, has decided that in view of the need to free up time in the coming year for the arrival of child number 3 at a time of increased work commitments, he will not stand for re-election. There will be a candidate for this position. I am delighted to say that Chris is keen to retain an involvement with the finance team and to provide input to the charitable status project.

Bearing in mind that the ECF Board rejected two candidates for CEO, can we be advised who this candidate for Finance Director is and whether he/she has been interviewed by the board? Or is it a secret?

The candidate in question has not yet divulged whether e would like eir identity known yet.

As the board rejected two CEO candidates, the inference of John Philpott's statement is that the candidate has been seen/approved by the Board. In any instance I can see no reason for this to remain a mystery as I presume that it will be made known after 13.30pm on 4th September (ie in a week's time).

[IM Jack Rudd]

You may infer what you wish. I couldn't possibly comment.

[Neil Graham]

David Pardoe's idea is a good one but the problem would be local league and county representatives who are unlikely to vote for anything that would diminish their influence and ability to protect their vested interest. The arbiter bloc tends to be criticised for having too much sway and no doubt those criticisms will be repeated after the AGM but it's the league and county associations I've always seen as the blockers.

Of course league and county representatives (unlike event organisers) do have a constituency and could be voted out if there was a clamour for change amongst the grassroots. As things stand it's something of a catch 22 situation; more direct member influence would awaken interest from the grassroots who are at present apathetic about ECF affairs. The paradox - more influence would awaken them from their apathy but they won't awake from that apathy until they have more influence.

Has anyone ever heard any clamour from the grassroots? Can people be woken from their apathy?

Of course not! In my experience, at every level, from clubs to counties to unions to the ECF, volunteers are notable by their absence. This board is a classic example - there are some 10,000 active chess players on the net in England using a round figures; of these some 1,000 or so belong to this forum and of those probably 1 in three have made a significant number of posts. One can surmise that probably 3% of chess players might have a passing interest in how things are run; 97% probably couldn't care less!

[Neil Graham]

You may infer what you wish. I couldn't possibly comment.

Jack not wishing to be critical about your stance, the ECF Board should be advising who this candidate is. It's hardly a matter to be shrouded in secrecy.

[IM Jack Rudd]

You may infer what you wish. I couldn't possibly comment.

Jack not wishing to be critical about your stance, the ECF Board should be advising who this candidate is. It's hardly a matter to be shrouded in secrecy.

It may not be a matter to be shrouded in secrecy, but it's the candidate's decision, not mine, whether to announce their candidacy in advance of the official announcement date.

[Neil Graham]

You may infer what you wish. I couldn't possibly comment.

Jack not wishing to be critical about your stance, the ECF Board should be advising who this candidate is. It's hardly a matter to be shrouded in secrecy.

It may not be a matter to be shrouded in secrecy, but it's the candidate's decision, not mine, whether to announce their candidacy in advance of the official announcement date.

Is it C.J?? I'm off to Ladbrokes tomorrow to see what odds they're quoting for likely contenders?