ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
John Reyes
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by John Reyes » Sat Apr 24, 2021 2:33 pm

Mike Truran registering his thanks to the members for supporting the ECF this year.
Also Adam Ashton as well has thanks to the members for supporting the ECF as well.
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Paul Cooksey
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by Paul Cooksey » Sat Apr 24, 2021 3:06 pm

Surprisingly vigorous debate on including the loan from the BCF in the budget now rather than in October, but budget passed as proposed. Unchanged membership fees were earlier.

John Reyes
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by John Reyes » Sat Apr 24, 2021 4:04 pm

now we are on the Governance Committee on Directors tenure of office now
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Paul Cooksey
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by Paul Cooksey » Sat Apr 24, 2021 5:18 pm

All the motions on tenure defeated heavily, to my surprise.

Paul Cooksey
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by Paul Cooksey » Sat Apr 24, 2021 6:54 pm

So some initial impressions on the meeting.

The Finance part of the meeting stayed reasonably on track. I think Adam Ashton could consider it a major success, given it is his first year and the challenging covid situation. Of course he is benefiting from the expectation is that all that is needed is sensible pragmatism until we return to normal. But it is possible to get that wrong and he has not.

The second part of the meeting moved onto votes on the various motions. I think after the initial happiness that it possible to hold meetings by Zoom, there is now an expectation that the meetings will run efficiently. Voting proved difficult, with various board members asking for improvements to be made. Council gave the scheduling of the AGM - whether online or physical to the board to sort out. I imagine there will be some talk of how to handle.

A difficult meeting for Michael Farthing to chair, particularly given his role in the governance committee because there were some disputes between Robert Stern and Tim Wall. I was a bit uncomfortable about how some things were framed, and given the substantive votes went the way I hoped, I imagine those disappointed by the votes were distressed.

Of course some of the drafting very challenging. Tim Wall felt that the motion on directors terms was deliberately drafted to be unattractive. I felt the opposite before the meeting, that in presenting a series of options to impose tenure limits Council was being unfairly pushed toward the Governance committees preferred option. I don't think an easy solution to the issue of how to draft neutrally, but is particularly important for online meetings.

The meeting ended on a small note of mystery with Chris Fegan asking for a concern about the first two paragraphs of regulation 2 to be minuted, since there was no time to discuss. That states:
All Directors, Managers and Officers are expected to engage actively in their roles within the Federation, regularly attend their respective meetings and respond in a timely manner and with due diligence to communications from all stakeholders in the activities of the Federation.
. Those who read the board minutes probably have noted that some people rarely attend. But not known to me if that is the issue.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat Apr 24, 2021 7:25 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Sat Apr 24, 2021 5:18 pm
All the motions on tenure defeated heavily, to my surprise.
Does that leave the position as being that directors can stay in post as long as they desire? The only challenge coming from a re-election every three years even if the only opponent is that periodic election winner, "none of the above".

Paul Cooksey
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by Paul Cooksey » Sat Apr 24, 2021 7:44 pm

Yes, or at least as long as they can persuade council to re-elect them

David Sedgwick
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by David Sedgwick » Sat Apr 24, 2021 7:53 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Sat Apr 24, 2021 5:18 pm
All the motions on tenure defeated heavily, to my surprise.
The motions might have got more support but for Tim Wall's antics, although probably not sufficiently so to bring any of them up to 75%.

Anyway, the views of Council are now clear.

John Reyes
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by John Reyes » Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:38 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Sat Apr 24, 2021 6:54 pm
So some initial impressions on the meeting.

The Finance part of the meeting stayed reasonably on track. I think Adam Ashton could consider it a major success, given it is his first year and the challenging covid situation. Of course he is benefiting from the expectation is that all that is needed is sensible pragmatism until we return to normal. But it is possible to get that wrong and he has not.

The second part of the meeting moved onto votes on the various motions. I think after the initial happiness that it possible to hold meetings by Zoom, there is now an expectation that the meetings will run efficiently. Voting proved difficult, with various board members asking for improvements to be made. Council gave the scheduling of the AGM - whether online or physical to the board to sort out. I imagine there will be some talk of how to handle.

A difficult meeting for Michael Farthing to chair, particularly given his role in the governance committee because there were some disputes between Robert Stern and Tim Wall. I was a bit uncomfortable about how some things were framed, and given the substantive votes went the way I hoped, I imagine those disappointed by the votes were distressed.

Of course some of the drafting very challenging. Tim Wall felt that the motion on directors terms was deliberately drafted to be unattractive. I felt the opposite before the meeting, that in presenting a series of options to impose tenure limits Council was being unfairly pushed toward the Governance committees preferred option. I don't think an easy solution to the issue of how to draft neutrally, but is particularly important for online meetings.

The meeting ended on a small note of mystery with Chris Fegan asking for a concern about the first two paragraphs of regulation 2 to be minuted, since there was no time to discuss. That states:
All Directors, Managers and Officers are expected to engage actively in their roles within the Federation, regularly attend their respective meetings and respond in a timely manner and with due diligence to communications from all stakeholders in the activities of the Federation.
. Those who read the board minutes probably have noted that some people rarely attend. But not known to me if that is the issue.
Thanks paul

I did not understand that quote but from my understanding the board has been engaged and I don’t understand what this was raised?
Any postings on here represent my personal views only and also Dyslexia as well

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Michael Farthing
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Re: ECF Finance Meeting 2021 on 24th April 2021

Post by Michael Farthing » Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:23 am

The Record of Card Votes for the meeting has now been published and can be found here:
https://www.englishchess.org.uk/about/minutes/

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