Standards of Conduct for ECF Officials

Roger de Coverly · Post by **Roger de Coverly** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:33 am

Roger Lancaster wrote:This doesn't tell the complete story because it omits the context, frivolous or otherwise, in which the remark was made.

Indeed. Does this conceal a policy dispute or is it a complete breakdown in personal relationships? We know from the minutes that the Board had a debate earlier in the year when the suspended director made the proposal that the forum on the ECF website be closed on the reasonable grounds that it wasn't being used. The creation of that forum had been the brainchild of the complaining director, so maybe that didn't improve their relationship.

Roger Lancaster · Post by **Roger Lancaster** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:37 am

Well, even if there wasn't already a "complete breakdown in personal relationships", there probably is now!

Carl Hibbard · Post by **Carl Hibbard** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:45 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:The creation of that forum had been the brainchild of the complaining director.......<snip>

Plus I would suggest Chris Fegan whose actual role and responsibilites is somewhat unclear.

Carl Hibbard · Post by **Carl Hibbard** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:51 am

There is supposed to be a new other place at some point:

May Minutes wrote:13 Communications

It was generally agreed that the different elements of the Federation’s Communication Strategy were developing positively (the Forum, Twitter, the website, and direct member e-mail for marketing and political matters); and that directors and other officers should continue to post more content on the Forum.

AP 95/13 BK to draw up new categories with a view to re-launching the Forum using the new software.

Clive Blackburn · Post by **Clive Blackburn** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:08 am

Carl Hibbard wrote:There is supposed to be a new other place at some point:
May Minutes wrote: AP 95/13 BK to draw up new categories with a view to re-launching the Forum using the new software.

Yes, when a forum is totally failing to communicate with its target audience and there are also serious performance issues with the site, new software is clearly the only solution!

Ihor Lewyk · Post by **Ihor Lewyk** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:41 am

Crikey!
When I read the ECF website I thought there must have been a murder or grand fraud for someone to be suspended.
I don't think Alex needs the money that much. Oh hang on he's volunteered to do a job nobody in their right mind would want to do. Does the ECF really want to give him an excuse to walk away and find something more rewarding for his time.

Michael Farthing · Post by **Michael Farthing** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:21 am

Ihor Lewyk wrote:Crikey!
When I read the ECF website I thought there must have been a murder or grand fraud for someone to be suspended.
I don't think Alex needs the money that much. Oh hang on he's volunteered to do a job nobody in their right mind would want to do. Does the ECF really want to give him an excuse to walk away and find something more rewarding for his time.

That is an excellent suggestion.
A far more rewarding activity for the ECF membership (though not for Alex perhaps) would be for him to stand for the post of Chief Executive.

[Umm.. Is there still time?]

Alex McFarlane · Post by **Alex McFarlane** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:36 am

Michael Farthing wrote:
A far more rewarding activity for the ECF membership (though not for Alex perhaps) would be for him to stand for the post of Chief Executive.

He can't nominate himself for that post whilst he is suspended!!!!!

Ihor Lewyk wrote:Oh hang on he's volunteered to do a job nobody in their right mind would want to do.

My info is that there might be an alternative candidate for Home Director - more favoured by the current CEO perhaps.

Michael Farthing · Post by **Michael Farthing** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:44 am

Alex McFarlane wrote:
Michael Farthing wrote:
A far more rewarding activity for the ECF membership (though not for Alex perhaps) would be for him to stand for the post of Chief Executive.

He can't nominate himself for that post whilst he is suspended!!!!!

He may be suspended (though the legality of that is not clear to me). However, he is still Director of Home Chess and cannot be removed from that post except by Council. Being suspended from duties is not a problem. Nominating oneself for a job is not a duty.

But in any case, others can nominate him...

Carl Hibbard · Post by **Carl Hibbard** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:52 am

Alex McFarlane wrote:My info is that there might be an alternative candidate for Home Director - more favoured by the current CEO perhaps.

Oooh do tell.

Alex McFarlane · Post by **Alex McFarlane** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:54 am

Board members have the right to nominate people for Board positions without getting other nominations. But as Alex is currently suspended he cannot just nominate himself, it would require others to do so.

In answer to a question on the other place. The decision to suspend a Director is taken by the CEO. Obviously I do not know if Phil Ehr consulted with anyone else before making his decision. Perhaps someone should ask Chris Fegan if he knows who was consulted?

Has anyone actually established the position of Chris Fegan? Is it true that he is on the ECF Board emailing list? If so, what is the reasoning behind that and who requested it?
I hope we don't have to wait for the AGM for answers.

Roger de Coverly · Post by **Roger de Coverly** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:04 pm

Alex McFarlane wrote: Has anyone actually established the position of Chris Fegan?

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/about/ecf-officials/ lists him as "Strategic Advisor".

If you read the Board minutes, he seems to get an invitation to attend nearly all of them.

But if Board members and ECF Officers are prohibited or not encouraged to post here for fear that their private views may be taken for ECF positions, the same applies to postings at the ECF's forum, not least his most recent in defence of the ECF Board and its Code of Conduct.

I don't buy into the view that the Code of Conduct was in any way forced on the Board by the Council meeting. It was the Board's document which they got rubber stamped. Some or indeed many members of Council may share the view that Codes of Conduct are at best a dubious blessing, particularly if they are used for score settling as appears the case with the latest row.

LawrenceCooper · Post by **LawrenceCooper** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:14 pm

Alex McFarlane wrote:
Has anyone actually established the position of Chris Fegan? Is it true that he is on the ECF Board emailing list? If so, what is the reasoning behind that and who requested it?
I hope we don't have to wait for the AGM for answers.

Up until (and possibly beyond) mid-October 2014 Chris was on the board mailing list as directed by the CEO. He was a regular contributor and although his title was Strategic Advisor I found his contributions were more in keeping with that of an alternate/deputy Chief Executive.

Andrew Zigmond · Post by **Andrew Zigmond** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:33 pm

Alex's intention to stand for re-election was noted on the ECF website on 17th August (or at least Roger linked to it on that date on another thread). I believe that as a current director he automatically goes on the ballot paper unless he states his intention otherwise. The closing date for nominations is 9th September which is (just) outside of the period of suspension.

I'm not sure that anybody in the ECF has the authority to a) prevent a director from seeking re-election and b) prevent any of the requisitionists from putting a specific candidate forward.

Roger Lancaster · Post by **Roger Lancaster** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:55 pm

I don't suppose by any chance that Chris Fegan is the same person as the former vice-president of Chelmsford Star Co-op who was, according to the local paper, removed from office in 2012 following a board-level row over the suspension of the co-op secretary, a move backed by Mr Fegan (also, incidentally, a local councillor) but overturned by the board?

http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/Chelmsf ... story.html

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