Loss of Government Funding

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
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Andrew Farthing
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Loss of Government Funding

Post by Andrew Farthing » Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:38 pm

As expected, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed that its grant to the ECF will cease after the current financial year. I posted the following statement on the ECF website:
Shortly after the Chancellor of the Exchequer concluded his Parliamentary statement on the Public Spending Review, a letter was received from Jonathan Hughes, Head of Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport as follows:

“2010 SPENDING REVIEW

“I write [...] to confirm that the Department’s grant to the English Chess Federation will cease from 31st March 2011.

“I appreciate that this is difficult news for you and the organisation but, unfortunately, the Department has had to make a number of difficult choices in order to meet our contribution to the Government’s plan for fiscal consolidation over the next four years. One of these choices has been drastically to reduce DCMS’ central programme budget, out of which your current annual £45,000 grant is paid.

“We have taken this decision in order to maximise funding for our Non-Departmental Public Bodies and limit the impact on their programmes, whether this funding for Olympic and Paralympic sports in the run-up to London 2012, or funding for grassroots sport, for example.”

Its disappointment at the loss of the grant notwithstanding, the ECF should like record its appreciation for the Department’s support for English chess over many years and for the considerate way in which the DCMS has handled the withdrawal of its funding. This has helped the Board to manage the transition so as to minimise the adverse effect upon English chess.

- Andrew Farthing, Chief Executive

John Philpott

Re: Loss of Government Funding

Post by John Philpott » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:20 pm

On the whole I think the Federation has done remarkably well to retain the Grant for as long as it has.
Events have moved on since we started work in this area. In particular there seems little doubt now that the Grant is on the way out though it is anyone's guess whether it would go totally in one year or perhaps more likely be phased out over, say, a 3 year period
Those words appeared in a memorandum to me from Bryan Fewell, at the time the Chairman of the Finance Committee, dated 16 September 1994.

Phil Makepeace
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Re: Loss of Government Funding

Post by Phil Makepeace » Mon Oct 25, 2010 10:56 pm

Obviously, this is very bad news, however predictable. But no topic is safe from satire.

Alex Holowczak
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Re: Loss of Government Funding

Post by Alex Holowczak » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:00 pm

Phil Makepeace wrote:Obviously, this is very bad news, however predictable. But no topic is safe from satire.
It's all well and good selling inactive Grandmasters, but only if someone the other end wants to buy them. :wink:

Phil Makepeace
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Re: Loss of Government Funding

Post by Phil Makepeace » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:09 pm

Liechtenstein has the highest GDP per capita in the world and 10 FIDE rated players. There's your answer.

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Location: London

Re: Loss of Government Funding

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Oct 31, 2010 2:44 pm

This subject is also covered in Malcolm Pein's editorial in the November 2010 issue of CHESS.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Loss of Government Funding

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:50 pm

Reviving this old thread, the same has now applied in Scotland.

http://www.chessscotland.com/news/?p=1986

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Peter D Williams
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Location: Hampshire

Re: Loss of Government Funding

Post by Peter D Williams » Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:14 pm

Afternoon All its a lovely day.

Members on here should write to the local M>P over the loss of funding for chess and should the ECF attempt anther lobby of parliament to get chess recognized as a sport?

Well i am off to plant some rock rose seeds.
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

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