ECF Finance meeting 2018
-
- Posts: 2069
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:28 pm
- Location: Morecambe, Europe
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
One thing is manifestly clear. If we want our office to be efficient they'd better not use this thread as a blueprint.
-
- Posts: 1057
- Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2010 6:40 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
I don't want the office to be efficient. The office is already efficient. How many times.Michael Farthing wrote: ↑Sat Apr 07, 2018 8:04 amOne thing is manifestly clear. If we want our office to be efficient they'd better not use this thread as a blueprint.
I'm going to tell my manager that I won't come on the Friday team call and report back on what I've been doing during the week, because it isn't directly useful to me. I'm sure that'll go down well.Hok Yin Stephen Chiu wrote: ↑Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:55 pmThat is kind of the issue - data collection has to be directly meaningful/useful to staff. Otherwise, it will end up being seen as a bit of a gimmick...
Donate to Sabrina's fundraiser at https://gofund.me/aeae42c7 to support victims of sexual abuse in the chess world.
Northumberland webmaster, Jesmond CC something-or-other. Views mine. Definitely below the Goodall Line.
Northumberland webmaster, Jesmond CC something-or-other. Views mine. Definitely below the Goodall Line.
-
- Posts: 2152
- Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 1:37 am
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
Message on the Council Papers page of the ECF website:
ECF website wrote:We apologise for the current unavailability of the finance papers. We are aware that under the regulations they are required to be published not later that Wednesday 4th April, but they have been delayed for a number of reasons not entirely within our control. This applies to both the ECF and BCF agenda items.
-
- Posts: 8472
- Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
This is unacceptable. I do not doubt that the accounts are stuck somewhere in the twilight zone between financial controllers and auditors, which happens, but this cannot override the requirement to produce a Budget in good time before it is put up for approval.Angus French wrote: ↑Sat Apr 07, 2018 11:02 amMessage on the Council Papers page of the ECF website:
ECF website wrote:We apologise for the current unavailability of the finance papers. We are aware that under the regulations they are required to be published not later that Wednesday 4th April, but they have been delayed for a number of reasons not entirely within our control. This applies to both the ECF and BCF agenda items.
This time last year there was also no useful set of accounts available. I felt it was wrong to approve a Budget based on financial information that was hopelessly out of date, but it was made clear that I was in a minority of one. Council did happily approve the Budget on that basis, and would no doubt do so again. The point of the Budget is that it reveals how much the Board intends to take from us in future and what they intend to spend it on. There is no excuse for this information not being available for discussion three weeks before it is approved, and the fact that it is not speaks more volubly than any pages of numbers could.
If FIDE were in this state three weeks before an annual meeting, can you imagine how the ECF's Delegate would be bellowing? He wouldn't be wrong, but just thinking about that makes me want to hide under the table.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.
-
- Posts: 21318
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
Previously the year end was 31st May and the BCF/ECF used to struggle to finalise the end of year accounts in time for the October AGM. The year end was changed to 31st August to coincide with the membership year and also to give a bit more time to prepare accounts to be presented and approved at the April finance meeting. That was the theory anyway.NickFaulks wrote: ↑Sat Apr 07, 2018 3:25 pmThis time last year there was also no useful set of accounts available.
-
- Posts: 1235
- Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:36 am
- Location: Hertfordshire
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
The ECF website shows the post of Financial Controller is vacant. That might go some way in explaining why things aren't happening.Bye Law No.4 the Financial Bye Laws wrote:The Finance Director and Financial Controller should provide the Board and individual Directors with management accounts of the status of their budgets at intervals throughout the period concerned.
-
- Posts: 1057
- Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2010 6:40 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
That sounds like an important job. Can I be Financial Controller?Michael Flatt wrote: ↑Sat Apr 07, 2018 6:05 pmThe ECF website shows the post of Financial Controller is vacant. That might go some way in explaining why things aren't happening.Bye Law No.4 the Financial Bye Laws wrote:The Finance Director and Financial Controller should provide the Board and individual Directors with management accounts of the status of their budgets at intervals throughout the period concerned.
Donate to Sabrina's fundraiser at https://gofund.me/aeae42c7 to support victims of sexual abuse in the chess world.
Northumberland webmaster, Jesmond CC something-or-other. Views mine. Definitely below the Goodall Line.
Northumberland webmaster, Jesmond CC something-or-other. Views mine. Definitely below the Goodall Line.
-
- Posts: 1525
- Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:15 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
I think that post was created for the much missed John Philpott. I noticed the delay in accounts but decided not to speculate until the reason was explained.
It will be interesting to see what comments the Chairman of the Financial Committee makes.
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... eport.docx
It will be interesting to see what comments the Chairman of the Financial Committee makes.
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... eport.docx
-
- Posts: 8472
- Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
But we're not talking about the accounts - their non-appearance is accepted as normal. What is new this year is that there is no Budget either.Paul Cooksey wrote: ↑Sat Apr 07, 2018 6:37 pmI noticed the delay in accounts but decided not to speculate until the reason was explained.
Last edited by NickFaulks on Sat Apr 07, 2018 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.
-
- Posts: 1525
- Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:15 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
Nick is right of course, I should have said finance papers. But I wanted to make the point that the ECF had already decided it needed to bring in professional finance expertise because it could not find suitable volunteers.
I am not posting much on ECF matters at the moment. Anyone who saw my posts in the past knows I do not agree with the strategy of the current board. So no point in me criticising everything they do.
This might be a case of the ECF board doing something I don't agree with badly. Or maybe just bad luck, I decided to wait and find out.
I am not posting much on ECF matters at the moment. Anyone who saw my posts in the past knows I do not agree with the strategy of the current board. So no point in me criticising everything they do.
This might be a case of the ECF board doing something I don't agree with badly. Or maybe just bad luck, I decided to wait and find out.
-
- Posts: 1235
- Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:36 am
- Location: Hertfordshire
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
The reporting of decision taken at the last ECF Board meeting, might give some clues as what to expect:
The post appears in the list of adverised vacancies: https://www.englishchess.org.uk/about/vacancies/
Ref: https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... ration.pdf
Presumably, contracting out the Company Secretary role might have proven more expensive than originally planned.
- The Board agreed to progress the registration of events for grading purposes
- The Board confirmed the appointment of Mark Murrell as the Controller of the County Championships.
- The Board confirmed that budget proposal figures, to be put to Council, would include a reduction of Junior Bronze and Junior Silver to £5.
- It was agreed, for budgetary planning purposes, to take a conservative approach and assume an increase in paying members from the current baseline of 10K, of 500 new members per year for the next 3 years. It was also agreed to review the membership levels in August.
- The Board confirmed that the £1 on-line reduction for renewing membership would be withdrawn for the next membership year.
- The Board agreed to discontinue the external contract for the role of Company Secretary, and move the post in house.
The post appears in the list of adverised vacancies: https://www.englishchess.org.uk/about/vacancies/
Ref: https://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-cont ... ration.pdf
-
- Posts: 5834
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
"It was agreed, for budgetary planning purposes, to take a conservative approach and assume an increase in paying members from the current baseline of 10K, of 500 new members per year for the next 3 years."
That is an interesting assumption.
That is an interesting assumption.
-
- Posts: 21318
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
If the idea is to raise funds, that has to be new adult members. It also has to be net new members. In another words an addition after the usual wastage of people retiring from active play.Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Sat Apr 07, 2018 11:10 pm"500 new members per year for the next 3 years."
That is an interesting assumption.
A lot of the turnover is juniors, but the grading list gives an insight. I believe it is between 10% and 15%. You can validate this from the aggregate count of the active list which never changes very much and the allocation of new grading codes.
I'd call it ambitious rather than conservative.
-
- Posts: 8472
- Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
Accounts and Budget have now appeared on the website. Thanks to all who have clearly been working overtime!
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.
-
- Posts: 1838
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:16 am
Re: ECF Finance meeting 2018
Perhaps Council ought to volunteer those that moan about account and budget delays being unacceptable for the 'overtime' next year?