English Chess Forum

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:14 pm

Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:33 pm

Recommended minimum charity trustees is five so, even with Eric Schiller's passing, they're presumably still on the right side of that - although, in this case, three are family members and can't by any stretch be considered independent. That's a situation which I imagine many would consider unsatisfactory but it appears legally compliant - as far as I am aware, even the minimum figure of five is a recommendation only. Those feeling as strongly as Justin seemingly does could, I assume, complain to the Charity Commissioners.

What about Companies House though? There have been Confirmation Statements of no changes, as well as the Accounts, that fail to mention Eric Schiller's death, and he's listed as a current director as a result

I can't say I'm too concerned as anyone newly dealing with Ray would, if they had any sense at all, first do a background check [as one would do with anyone else] which might start with something as simple as googling his name. Among the first entries one comes across is, for example, "Raymond Keene is less a journalist or columnist than a copyist, propagandist, egotist, fabulist and contortionist" which should make anyone pause for thought if nothing more. If people aren't prepared to do simple background checks, it's a case of caveat emptor.

Who's the emptor here

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:36 pm

Who's the emptor here

Anyone dealing with

Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:35 pm

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:14 pm

Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:33 pm

Recommended minimum charity trustees is five so, even with Eric Schiller's passing, they're presumably still on the right side of that - although, in this case, three are family members and can't by any stretch be considered independent. That's a situation which I imagine many would consider unsatisfactory but it appears legally compliant - as far as I am aware, even the minimum figure of five is a recommendation only. Those feeling as strongly as Justin seemingly does could, I assume, complain to the Charity Commissioners.

What about Companies House though? There have been Confirmation Statements of no changes, as well as the Accounts, that fail to mention Eric Schiller's death, and he's listed as a current director as a result

I can't say I'm too concerned as anyone newly dealing with Ray would, if they had any sense at all, first do a background check [as one would do with anyone else] which might start with something as simple as googling his name. Among the first entries one comes across is, for example, "Raymond Keene is less a journalist or columnist than a copyist, propagandist, egotist, fabulist and contortionist" which should make anyone pause for thought if nothing more. If people aren't prepared to do simple background checks, it's a case of caveat emptor.

Indeed, but I imagine that Companies House expect submissions to be correct; that's the impression they give me

Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:46 pm

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:36 pm

Who's the emptor here

Anyone dealing with

Directly or indirectly?

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:50 pm

Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:35 pm

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:14 pm

What about Companies House though? There have been Confirmation Statements of no changes, as well as the Accounts, that fail to mention Eric Schiller's death, and he's listed as a current director as a result

I can't say I'm too concerned as anyone newly dealing with Ray would, if they had any sense at all, first do a background check [as one would do with anyone else] which might start with something as simple as googling his name. Among the first entries one comes across is, for example, "Raymond Keene is less a journalist or columnist than a copyist, propagandist, egotist, fabulist and contortionist" which should make anyone pause for thought if nothing more. If people aren't prepared to do simple background checks, it's a case of caveat emptor.

Indeed, but I imagine that Companies House expect submissions to be correct; that's the impression they give me

Yes, I agree. I suppose it's open to the surviving directors of a company to claim that they didn't realise another had died - which might sometimes be plausible, for example, in the case of a non-executive who didn't play a central part of a business. That's not immediately obvious here.

Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 2:12 pm

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:50 pm

Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:35 pm

I can't say I'm too concerned as anyone newly dealing with Ray would, if they had any sense at all, first do a background check [as one would do with anyone else] which might start with something as simple as googling his name. Among the first entries one comes across is, for example, "Raymond Keene is less a journalist or columnist than a copyist, propagandist, egotist, fabulist and contortionist" which should make anyone pause for thought if nothing more. If people aren't prepared to do simple background checks, it's a case of caveat emptor.

Indeed, but I imagine that Companies House expect submissions to be correct; that's the impression they give me

Yes, I agree. I suppose it's open to the surviving directors of a company to claim that they didn't realise another had died - which might sometimes be plausible, for example, in the case of a non-executive who didn't play a central part of a business. That's not immediately obvious here.

Um, is it plausible that the Company Secretary copy-and-pasted from the previous year's accounts and didn't review and amend - and the other Directors didn't notice? Not that I think it would be a good excuse.

Angus French wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:11 pm

Um, is it plausible that the Company Secretary copy-and-pasted from the previous year's accounts and didn't review and amend - and the other Directors didn't notice? Not that I think it would be a good excuse.

I imagine that's roughly what happened though it's not quite as straightforward as that. If we compare the relevant sections from the past two sets of accounts





we can see that although the two sets of notes are very similar, the second has been amended in so far as "and 28th" [World Memory Championships - ejh] has been added (and the punctuation corrected) while "World Memory Sports Council and" has been omitted, though curiously the bit about the UK Memory Schools Initiative remains despite there being no grant to that entity for 2020.

In other words, very much what happens when you're doing a quick copy and paste and then amending it, only carelessly and without anybody checking what you did.

However, while carelessness is a Ray hallmark, we should note at the same time that if the Company Secretary omits to mention that he is a director of the Mother and Child Foundation and Outside in Pathways, or that his son is a director of the World Memory Championships, it is not because he has forgotten that he is a director of the Mother and Child Foundation and Outside in Pathways, or that his son is a director of the World Memory Championships.

Forgetting important details relating to the World Memory Championships does not look good.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:31 pm

Forgetting important details relating to the World Memory Championships does not look good.

Ray's memory is worse than mine. Company Secretary MAY be using an out of date SORP

Well, it seems that Eric Schiller's term as a director has now come to an end. In his place comes Mr Marek Kasperski.

Sorry, His Serene Highness Prince Marek Kasperski.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:31 pm

Forgetting important details relating to the World Memory Championships does not look good.

You beat me to that one Nick!

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:28 pm

Well, it seems that Eric Schiller's term as a director has now come to an end. In his place comes Mr Marek Kasperski.

Sorry, His Serene Highness Prince Marek Kasperski.

Heh, His Serene Highness seems to like Ray's pieces on The Article.

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:05 pm

Let's see who's been getting lucky with Brain Trust grants this time around.



Well there are four listed beneficiary organisations, one of which (the World Memory Championships) is listed as a "related party transaction". It's perhaps surprising that Alexander Keene isn't also listed in this connection, being a director of both companies, and also that the Chinese Memory Championships are not similarly marked. Perhaps they are entirely unconnected with Ray et al.

Although perhaps they are connected with His Serene Highness.

Anyway why should The Brain Trust finally get round to removing the late Mr Schiller as a director on 6 or 7 April?

Who knows, but for the record, I wrote to the accountants Poole Waterfield on 6 April, for the attention of David Gibbens, the charity's Independent Examiner.

Dear Mr Gibbens

I had cause earlier today to look at the newly produced accounts for The Brain Trust, for whom you are the independent examiner. I notice that one of the Trustees is listed as being Mr Eric Schiller. I wonder if you were aware that Mr Schiller died in November 2018 and is presumably unable to fulfill the duties required of that office.

Yours

Justin Horton

I received a reply yesterday.

Dear Justin

Thank you for your e-mail and bringing to our attention that Mr Schiller had passed away which we were unaware of. It was kind of you to take the time to e-mail us which we appreciate.

Kind Regards

Poole Waterfield

This evening I have written to them again.

Dear Poole Waterfield

Thank you for your reply. It was no problem at all to let you know.

Perhaps I could draw your attention to certain other curiosities in the accounts, notably that a number of "related party transactions" appear to have been omitted from section 5 ("Analysis Of Grants"). These would include that Alexander Keene as well as Ray Keene is a director of the World Memory Championships, that Ray Keene is a director of the Mother And Child Foundation and that both Ray Keene and Julian Simpole are directors of (to give it its correct name) Outside In Pathways.

I would further remark that such omissions are normal for the accounts of this somewhat irregular charity, whose directors and trustees are the same people - all of whom are friends or family - and which every year makes its grants exclusively to entities which they and their friends control.

Yours

Justin Horton