Direct Members’ Representatives election

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
David Sedgwick
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by David Sedgwick » Fri Aug 21, 2020 12:20 am

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:55 pm
deleted
I was about to respond :lol:

David Sedgwick
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by David Sedgwick » Fri Aug 21, 2020 12:27 am

Angus French wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 12:11 am
I'm also told that the number of valid vote returns was well over 500 - which strikes me as somewhat high and well over the number who have provided feedback to DMRs for any Council meeting.
Providing feedback requires considerably more effort than putting a couple of crosses on a ballot paper does.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Aug 21, 2020 12:36 am

"Even without the actual ballot numbers being revealed this election surely had much more accountability and transparency than most elections to council."

How?

Andrew Zigmond
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by Andrew Zigmond » Fri Aug 21, 2020 4:37 am

Angus French wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 12:18 am
David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:28 pm
Could I please make the no doubt controversial suggestion that it's time to give Michael Farthing a break?

He has admitted to an error of judgment in the matter and said that he does not intend to repeat it. He has also explained why he feels unable to reverse the decision in this instance.

Like almost everyone else in English chess, he is a voluntary officer doing his best. We cannot expect people to get things right every time.

This Forum does have something of a reputation for hounding people mercilessly and beyond all reason. As a result a number of people have stopped posting over the years and the Forum is poorer for their absence. Others may have been deterred from offering their services for positions from which they would have been well suited.
Perhaps others may be deterred from participation and standing for office by the dominance of vested interests.
What vested interests are involved here?
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JustinHorton
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Aug 21, 2020 6:46 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:28 pm

This Forum does have something of a reputation for hounding people mercilessly and beyond all reason. As a result a number of people have stopped posting over the years and the Forum is poorer for their absence. Others may have been deterred from offering their services for positions from which they would have been well suited.
On the other hand David it is particularly tiresome to see this particular Aunt Sally raised every time there is a small controversy and some awkward questions appear. If we were to talk about "something of a reputation" we could as easily apply the phrase to English chess and absence of transparency, or for that matter to hysterical pearl-clutching during incidents such as this.

Decision of official proves controversial, members of organisation say they're unhappy, this is normal healthy democratic practice all over the world, nothing abnormal, no hounding merciless or otherwise.
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JustinHorton
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by JustinHorton » Fri Aug 21, 2020 7:43 am

Anyway, what puzzled me about the statement was this: it says
an explicit guarantee was given to the candidates ahead of the current election that publication would not take place

and yes, of course I don't see how you can go back on that unless all the candidates agree, but I also don't see anything saying why the guarantee was given. That's it, really, as far as I'm concerned - it's just a headscratcher, nothing of any more moment than that.
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NickFaulks
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by NickFaulks » Fri Aug 21, 2020 8:36 am

JustinHorton wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 7:43 am
it's just a headscratcher, nothing of any more moment than that.
Had I said that I was willing to stand, but only if the voting figures were suppressed, I would have expected the reply "thanks, but no thanks".

I am disappointed that any candidates would have made this demand. I would consider them unsuitable for the position and I can only hope they did not receive my vote. But we shall never know.
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Michael Farthing
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by Michael Farthing » Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:00 am

NickFaulks wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 8:36 am
JustinHorton wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 7:43 am
it's just a headscratcher, nothing of any more moment than that.
Had I said that I was willing to stand, but only if the voting figures were suppressed, I would have expected the reply "thanks, but no thanks".

I am disappointed that any candidates would have made this demand. I would consider them unsuitable for the position and I can only hope they did not receive my vote. But we shall never know.
No candidate made such a demand. I suppose I came in with an aim of encouraging candidacy for positions that in the past have never had elections and that have often been filled by Board appointment. I know from the past it is often the case that candidates do drop out if they find that an election will be happening and so the offer came from me. I did consult others, but the decision was mine. The offer clearly swayed some candidates to remain and when it was clear that the procedure was attracting criticism I consulted all candidates individually and in confidence asking for their honest and frank views. Most were in favour of full publication, but some were not. On that basis I decided I could not go back on my undertaking.

I now believe that with increased publicity for the direct member Council positions it is likely that we will be having fought elections on a regular basis and there will be no need to offer confidentiality. But I emphasise that regardless of that I would not make the same offer again.

NickFaulks
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by NickFaulks » Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:10 am

Thanks, Michael. For me, the matter is now closed and I shall not comment again.
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Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:24 am

Michael's statement is welcome.

"Perhaps others may be deterred from participation and standing for office by the dominance of vested interests.

What vested interests are involved here?"

One example could be the murky world of junior chess organization?

General nepotism?

Angus French
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by Angus French » Fri Aug 21, 2020 10:00 am

Thanks for the explanation, Michael.

FWIW, I believe there have been DMR elections previously.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Aug 21, 2020 11:43 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:24 am
What vested interests are involved here?"
The arbiter and organiser cabal perhaps?

Nick Grey
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by Nick Grey » Fri Aug 21, 2020 3:50 pm

I believe you can add all of council unions and leagues to vested interests . move on.

John Reyes
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by John Reyes » Mon Aug 24, 2020 7:27 pm

The Silvers Rep will be sending something out about the Finance meeting and the Elections
Plus any motions that the silver members would like us to raised if any
Any postings on here represent my personal views only and also Dyslexia as well

John Reyes
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Re: Direct Members’ Representatives election

Post by John Reyes » Thu Aug 27, 2020 1:31 pm

Dear Silver Members,
Please find below a summary of the ECF Finance Meeting which Keith Jones and John Reyes attended as your representatives on July 18 via Zoom. We wanted to wait with this statement until after the elections, in order to give you an update on the meeting and also to share a farewell and thanks to our outgoing representative, Keith Jones, and a welcome to our newly elected representative, Tim Wall.

Finance Meeting – Main Points
• Membership fees for Silver members are the same as last season. These will be: £27 for Adults and £6 for Juniors (unless it is your first time as a junior member, when it is free for the first year).
• The ECF is encouraging members to renew their memberships. I hope that you can support the ECF going forward as, due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, with circumstances changing for so many, no one can predict that the membership fees will provide sufficient funds. As John Reyes put it in his election address: “Due to the pandemic, the finances of the ECF do need to be covered and unless people renew their subscriptions there is a real danger that when the pandemic finally ends, there will be no ECF.” We would feel disappointed to think that any staff from the ECF might become redundant if expenditures were to be further reduced.
• The ECF AGM will be held on Saturday, 17 October, and will again be on Zoom.

Elections for Direct Member Representatives
On July 16, the ECF invited members to stand in the elections for Direct Members Representatives (the deadline to stand was July 31). In the Silver & Junior Silver members section, 5 candidates stood -
Satish Gaekwad
Keith Jones (*)
John Reyes (*)
Joseph Stringer
Tim Wall
* denotes existing Silver Members representative, 2019-20
The elections saw a quick turnaround and the Silver members were sent an email with our elections addresses for members’ consideration. The two candidates chosen by members were John Reyes (elected for a 5th term) and Tim Wall.

Message from John Reyes
“I would like to say thank you to every one of you who voted for me and read my election address. I do not take for granted the role I have undertaken over the past few years – I am proud to have been your representative, but I have never rested on my laurels. I am proactive in this role and I feel that I have a good balance of skills and approaches - I canvass the opinions of the Silver members, and it is down to you to guide us and put forward any motions to the AGM & Finance Council.
I am looking forward to working with Tim Wall and wanted to say thanks to Keith Jones for standing and supporting the Silver members, but it is down to each and every one of you to carry on standing as you are fellow Silver members.”

Message from Tim Wall
“I am very happy to be working with John Reyes as his fellow Silver members rep. Together, we will consult Silver members and aim to put forward as accurately as possible their views at ECF Council meetings, so that rank-and-file members’ interests and opinions are respected and listened to at all levels.
We face a big challenge to get over-the-board chess going again, with clubs and congresses needing our support as never before. The pandemic has meant that many of our previous ways of playing the game may have to change and adapt, such as making our club and congress venues Covid-safe and making online matches and tournaments a key part of what we do in future. If we simply wait for everything to ‘get back to normal,’ the danger is that many clubs and congresses could disappear forever. So, I am a strong advocate for getting chess back on its feet as soon as possible – over-the-board and online, and a combination of the two. We need to actively welcome new people, particularly juniors, and young women and men, into the ECF, who have taken up internet chess during lockdown. These new members and supporters can help us to revive and strengthen English chess in future.”

Motions to the AGM
Finally, if members have any motions that they wish to be raised on their behalf at the AGM, they can submit these via the Direct Member reps. As motions need to be formally submitted to the ECF Office by 10th September at the latest, we would kindly request that any motions are sent to both reps’ emails below no later than 3rd September, for us to consider, discuss and collectively compose our points to be presented on your behalf.

You can write to us here ---
Tim Wall - [email protected]
John Reyes - [email protected]

Many thanks, your ECF Silver Member Reps
Any postings on here represent my personal views only and also Dyslexia as well

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