ECF Council Meeting 12 April 2014

[Mick Norris]

Just to wish a safe journey there and back to those attending, some of whom will no doubt have had to set off by now given their long journeys

I see West Ham don't play until Tuesday night, so look forward to onsite reporting from the meeting from John Philpott

[John Philpott]

I am installed at the registration desk at the Euston Square Hotel. There is currently a Board meeting take place in respect of which it would be inappropriate for me to post information.

[Carl Hibbard]

I am installed at the registration desk at the Euston Square Hotel. There is currently a Board meeting take place in respect of which it would be inappropriate for me to post information.

Boo.

[Mick Norris]

I am installed at the registration desk at the Euston Square Hotel. There is currently a Board meeting take place in respect of which it would be inappropriate for me to post information.

Enjoy your afternoon

[David Robertson]

Boo.

It'll be Boo Hoo by the end of this afternoon

[Sean Hewitt]

And we're off!

[John Philpott]

Mike Gunn appointed Chairman of the Meeting. Chris Majer and John Wickham appointed tellers. Order of business changed to deal with the ECU General Assembly at an earlier stage. Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge and UK Chess Academy added to the voting register following admission to membership to the Board this morning: Bronowski Trophy readmitted following settlement of membership fee arrears. Various points of accuracy on the minutes dealt with in relatively quick order. We are now on to matters arising. In response to a question from Andrew Farthing, Phil Ehr indicated that the Board would be holding an awayday in May to address strategy and strategic planning. The lack of advertising for awards is now being discussed.

[Carl Hibbard]

I presume we did not win web site of the year again?

[Sean Hewitt]

13:51 - Richard Haddrell asks for the first time 'can we have the motion again'.

[Richard Bates]

Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge and UK Chess Academy added to the voting register following admission to membership to the Board this morning: Bronowski Trophy readmitted ...

Crucial votes...?

[John Philpott]

Andrew Leadbetter has suggested that the Board should address the Presidency vacancy by making an appointment within a month and should consider appointing Roger Edwards, as the runner up in the election last October, to fill the position until the AGM. This was lost 20-11 on a show of hands.

Julie Denning (who has volunteered at short notice to take the minutes) read out a prepared statement about the missing Sussex Archives. The words "dismayed" and "carelessness" were used, but it appears that a line has now been drawn under this matter.

We are now onto the ECU General Assembly. Nigel Short is unsurprisingly speaking against the proposal on the agenda to designate Andrew Paulson as the Official ECF Delegate at the 2014 Assembly.

Richard Bates wrote

Crucial votes...?

Subject to my checking the arithmetic, UKCA and UKSCC collectively account for 5 out of a theoretical 314 votes, although looking at the unclaimed voting cards there are about 40 votes that look as if they will not be cast (including the Bronowski Trophy).

[David Robertson]

So 30-odd (some very odd) people have c. 270 votes? Have I got this right?

[Sean Hewitt]

So 30-odd (some very odd) people have c. 270 votes? Have I got this right?

A quick headcount shows about 50 are here. There were alot of abstentions on Andrew Leadbetter's motion.

[Richard Bates]

Which bit sounds strange? That all the votes are being cast by 30 odd people, or that one person has on average 9 votes? Because the latter is just a matter of relativity, surely? Could be 100, could be 1000 the result is the same.

[Sean Hewitt]

The result of the board motion to appoint Andrew Paulson as ECU proxy

For : 79
Against : 153
Abstentions : 30