ECF Finance Council Meeting April 2017

[Julie Denning]

does anyone know who we email for the proxy votes?

In the absence of any known replacement to Angus French, I'd inform the Chairman of the meeting, Mike Gunn [email protected],
and copy the Minutes Secretary, Gary Willson [email protected]

Although it doesn't seem to have been put up on the ECF website yet, I understand this is (yet another) task that Gary Willson is handling at least for the time being

[Michael Farthing]

IME sending things to Gary is always a good idea (though he might disagree!)

[Julie Denning]

Gary Willson is experiencing a problem logging in for some reason, so has asked me to post the following on his behalf:-

“The duties of the Voting Register Officer are being picked up within the office, primarily by Andrew and myself.  Attendance forms and proxy notices by hard copy, signed, to the office, or via email to [email protected] would be best, but we can also pick up other messages sent to office@ …, or our own emails too.  Please note that if anyone wishes to notify us of proxy votes, the notification ought to come from the Council member who is giving the votes, and not the recipient.”

[Angus French]

A couple of things I notice about the agenda:

1. The ECF meeting starts at 1PM and will conclude by 6PM unless an extension is granted in which case it will conclude by 6:30PM. Previously a BCF meeting has been held during an interval in ECF meetings. This time the BCF meeting will precede the ECF meeting and start at 12:30PM.
2. The proposed (item 7.(b).vii) membership rate for Junior Bronze members is given as £9.50. Presumably this is a mistake and should be £11.50 (against the current £11), as given in the detailed budget spreadsheet.

[Michael Farthing]

Yes I noticed that Angus but assumed, like you, that it was a typo.

[Mike Gunn]

1. We are starting a bit earlier than usual because of a concern that there would be insufficient time to discuss the voting form proposals (including counting the votes for the options).

2. The figure for £9.50 fo junior bronze is correct. There was an earlier (higher) figure but it has been reduced to encourage junior membership, e.g. amongst those playing school chess.

[Angus French]

2. The figure for £9.50 fo junior bronze is correct. There was an earlier (higher) figure but it has been reduced to encourage junior membership, e.g. amongst those playing school chess.

Well, that's not what the (revised) budget details spreadsheet has (FWIW, I calculate the reduction in net income to be £344.80) and so far as I can see there's no explanation in the supporting documents.

Edit: BTW, the game-fee-abolition proposal has penalty fees (for non-members playing 4 or more standard play games in a league - or their equivalent in rapidplay) of £25 for adults and £12 for juniors. Shouldn't these figures be directly and consistently derivable from the appropriate (adult or junior) Bronze membership rate? The proposed adult penalty fee represents a surcharge of 56% (£25/£16) while the proposed junior penalty fee represents a surcharge of 26% (£12/£9.50).

[Andrew Walker]

Julie - you said ---
'Although it doesn't seem to have been put up on the ECF website yet, I understand this is (yet another) task that Gary Willson is handling at least for the time being' --- if you're referring to the proxy votes, notices of attendance etc. then, just as the last many and several meetings, it's me, not Gary.
[email protected]
Andrew Walker

[Paul Cooksey]

I know I always say this, but I don't think there is enough detail on the ECF spending plans.

Asking to increase the total cost of the ECF from 158k to 212k in 5 years is asking a lot. I feel it needs more justification.

[Michael Farthing]

Well of course, firstly, the Finance Meeting is only being asked to (and indeed can only) make a decision about the coming year.
I'm quite surprised by the suggestion that there is insufficient detail. Perhaps inevitably, there are parts that are not totally clear and parts that are still rather up in the air (eg the amount of sponsorship that may materialise) but I think the actual planned expenditure is quite detailed. Can you give some examples Paul of what you think is missing? That might even lead to the Finance Director being asked about such lacunae.

[NickFaulks]

You can call me old fashioned, but I'd like to be working from a set of accounts that is less than twenty months old.

[Michael Farthing]

Nick, we're talking about spending plans. They happen in the future.

[NickFaulks]

Nick, we're talking about spending plans. They happen in the future.

Yes, but you can't plan the route ahead if you don't where you are.

[Michael Farthing]

Oh I often do!

I remember walking the Coast to Cost walk with a companion who was most upset that we didn't know where we were. My comment was, "OK so we can't give ourselves a grid reference but there's a hill range on the left, a river on the right. That's what we expect. We don't want to cross either. Carry on straight ahead. We'll get there"

Slightly more seriously, Paul is complaining that the expenditure plans are not detailed enough. I'm asking him what more detail he wants about spending plans.

[David Robertson]

You can call me old fashioned, but I'd like to be working from a set of accounts that is less than twenty months old.

This is a rather strong point. And by no means the first time it's been raised.

What do our oversight Sub-Committees have to say on the matter? Everything tikkety-boo? Or executive action required?