ECF Agm 2017

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
John Reyes
Posts: 674
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:51 pm
Location: Manchester

ECF Agm 2017

Post by John Reyes » Sat Oct 14, 2017 1:39 pm

19 rep are here and 13 board members
Any postings on here represent my personal views only and also Dyslexia as well

benedgell
Posts: 1260
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:43 pm
Location: Somerset

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by benedgell » Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:06 pm

We're flying through the agenda.

benedgell
Posts: 1260
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:43 pm
Location: Somerset

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by benedgell » Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:43 pm

Peter withdrew his candidacy, lots of people (including ECF CEO) want to utilise his skills within ECF in another role.

User avatar
Carl Hibbard
Posts: 6028
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: Evesham

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by Carl Hibbard » Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:43 pm

benedgell wrote:We're flying through the agenda.
That good or bad?
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

John Reyes
Posts: 674
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:51 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by John Reyes » Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:09 pm

3 more people have turn up

Stuart r
Chris M
Sean h
Any postings on here represent my personal views only and also Dyslexia as well

benedgell
Posts: 1260
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:43 pm
Location: Somerset

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by benedgell » Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:33 pm

All candidates re elected with substantial majorities, all resolutions passed. Up to item 10. Break time.

Angus French
Posts: 2151
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 1:37 am

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by Angus French » Sat Oct 14, 2017 6:09 pm

Pleased to say the proposals for voting reform got the majorities they needed to pass. On shows of hands: 27 for, 1 against and 2 abstentions to change the Articles; and then 28 for, 0 against and 1 abstention to change the bye law. (I know the totals differ but those were the figures.)

John Reyes
Posts: 674
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:51 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by John Reyes » Sat Oct 14, 2017 7:27 pm

Meeting finished at 5:30pm :D

Happy days
Any postings on here represent my personal views only and also Dyslexia as well

Andrew Zigmond
Posts: 2073
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2011 9:23 pm
Location: Harrogate

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by Andrew Zigmond » Sat Oct 14, 2017 7:44 pm

Such a straightforward meeting would have been unthinkable two years ago.
Controller - Yorkshire League
Chairman - Harrogate Chess Club
All views expressed entirely my own

David Robertson

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by David Robertson » Sat Oct 14, 2017 8:18 pm

Andrew Zigmond wrote:Such a straightforward meeting would have been unthinkable two years ago.
Why would that be? And is it a good thing? Apply thought before answering

Angus French
Posts: 2151
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 1:37 am

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by Angus French » Sat Oct 14, 2017 8:54 pm

David Robertson wrote:
Andrew Zigmond wrote:Such a straightforward meeting would have been unthinkable two years ago.
Why would that be? And is it a good thing? Apply thought before answering
Possibly relevant to David's question. Possibly not. I made it that there were 34 attendees of the meeting including, I think, two non-voting officers. This is less than for previous recent London meetings.

Attached: photo - courtesy of John Reyes - of uncollected envelopes with voting forms.
UncollectedEnvelopes_25.jpg
The most votes cast in a card vote might have been 211 (one of the election candidates had 211 votes for and none against). Total votes available according to the Voting Register: 308.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Andrew Zigmond
Posts: 2073
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2011 9:23 pm
Location: Harrogate

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by Andrew Zigmond » Sat Oct 14, 2017 9:04 pm

David Robertson wrote:
Andrew Zigmond wrote:Such a straightforward meeting would have been unthinkable two years ago.
Why would that be? And is it a good thing? Apply thought before answering
At the risk of stating the obvious two years ago we saw an acrimonious election for Director of Home Chess and two members of the then board being ousted, alongside other drama such as an ill judged intervention by the then Chair of the Governance Committee. I will happily admit that I was satisfied with the outcome of that meeting but at the same time it was not the best shop window for the game's national body. There was talk of meltdown and yet we seem to have relative stability now. Did anybody expect that at the time?

A good thing? Well I don't think we will see subsequent resignations, conspiracy theories and grossly biased and inaccurate articles in national newspapers about this AGM. I think this is a good thing myself but others may big to differ.
Controller - Yorkshire League
Chairman - Harrogate Chess Club
All views expressed entirely my own

Paul Cooksey
Posts: 1520
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:15 pm

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by Paul Cooksey » Sat Oct 14, 2017 9:41 pm

Andrew Zigmond wrote: Did anybody expect that at the time?
Everyone. Well at least everyone paying attention

benedgell
Posts: 1260
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:43 pm
Location: Somerset

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by benedgell » Sat Oct 14, 2017 10:05 pm

A few points from the meeting:

Around 35 attendees.

The proposed Mindsports Centre in London hasn't really made much progress. The money set aside for the feasability study has been used.

The board have had some issues with attendance for board meetings, but they have all been quorate.

The accounts are now computerised, and should be presented on time in future.

The last year saw a larger surplus then previous year, in part due to improvements in game fee collection. This year will be lower due to the agreed expansion plans.

The entry criteria for British graded events will be reviewed (a council member was critical of aspects that Brendan mentioned elsewhere).

The National Club Cup is comitted for 2018, but its ongoing viability will be reviewed if entry levels don't improve.

There are plans for a consultation about entry numbers for county chess. There will also be a review of county eligibility.

All UKJCC participants who qualified for the Gigafinal took advantage of the free silver membership for juniors.

There was discussion of the different charges levied on ENG registered silver members and, for example, Wales silver members who enter a FIDE rated tournament in England.

This year there are 7800 members at present.

There was discussion about whether NEDs and other Directors should produce seperate reports, or should be incorporated in the CEOs report.

There was discussion during Julie Dennings election address about appropriate levels of board scrutiny.

After Peter Hornsby withdrew his candidacy there were a number of people, including the CEO, who were enthusiastic about finding another role for him within the ECF.

The Chairman of Council would like to see council be more proactive, and put more motions to ECF meetings.

A member of council was critical of attendance levels, and mooted the idea of 4 meetings a year.

All candidates who were standing unopposed were reelected, as was Julie Denning. Votes ranged from 211 in favour to 172 with some against.

There were a number of opinions expressed on 9a. The discussion also included a brief discussion on the issue of delegates holding an excessive number of proxy votes. 27 in favour, 1 against. I'll post how I voted later, but most of my votes were abstained on practically everything.

9b, 28 in favour.

There was discussion on 9c, mainly focussed around the practicalities of the proposal. 23 in favour, 4 against.

9d, e, f, all in favour.

Lots of discussion on the strategy document. A lot of talk about potential monthly grades. 1 against.

Lots of financial information was discussed. Bottom line, ECF is doing well financially.

For AOB: the ECF is going to put a proposal to next council meeting about changes to Yearbook.

Alex gave a long and very informative report about the FIDE Congress.

The meeting finished at about 5.30.

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21301
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: ECF Agm 2017

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat Oct 14, 2017 11:35 pm

benedgell wrote: There was discussion of the different charges levied on ENG registered silver members and, for example, Wales silver members who enter a FIDE rated tournament in England.
I thought it established that WLS, SCO and IRL players didn't need any ECF membership at all to play in FIDE rated tournaments in ENG. They needed Bronze to play without penalty in Leagues and Silver to play in non-FIDE rated tournaments.

Whether membership or otherwise of the WLS, SCO or IRL federations permitted participation in ENG FIDE rated events remains a question for those federations.