ECF Game Fee Billing

[Kevin Thurlow]

I agreed to receive the bill for the CSCA grading, so I don't object to that! I realise with the Cotswold bill that ECF assumed I was the only person called Kevin who organises anything, which isn't the case, although it sometimes feels like it. It's quite flattering really.

BCF/ECF agreed that CSCA's was an internal club championship some years ago, but keeps forgetting (or nobody wrote it down). Obviously this has confused the system. My usual club (Redhill) runs its club championship September to May. CSCA runs its championship over a weekend in May, with armed guards to keep out non-members. CSCA told all entrants they have to be ECF members to play, even if they are complete beginners, so CSCA is supporting the ECF. Most of the players do not actually care about grading and for many of them it's their only "serious" chess in the year.

[Mick Norris]

CSCA runs its championship over a weekend in May, with armed guards to keep out non-members

[David Sedgwick]

CSCA runs its championship over a weekend in May, with armed guards to keep out non-members

In 2010, Kevin kindly invited me to be the arbiter at the event. A few weeks later he phoned me up and, rather embarrassed, said that he had to withdraw the invitation as the powers that be weren't willing to give me the necessary security clearance to enter the venue.

There's an idea for the ECF Board. Hold ECF Council Meetings on a naval base and I won't be able to make awkward speeches explaining that a proposed Code of Conduct is unlikely to be a great success if the Chief Executive's own report contravenes its terms.

[Andrew Camp]

[Sean Hewitt]

BCF/ECF agreed that CSCA's was an internal club championship some years ago, but keeps forgetting (or nobody wrote it down). Obviously this has confused the system.

It appears to have confused CSCA as well, who make no mention of this in their grading file submission!

[Kevin Thurlow]

"It appears to have confused CSCA as well, who make no mention of this in their grading file submission!"

Thanks Sean - I'll make sure we ask our grader to include it next time.

[Robin Williams]

The last thing I have heard about billing was a notice on the ECF website posted last month.

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/league-game-fee-billing/

Has anyone received such an invoice yet or can provide an update?

[James Toon]

Our experience at Pimlico Chess Club is that the billing system is working, but not perfectly. In the past month we have been invoiced for two events:
(1) the 3rd Pimlico Summer Chess Tournament (2013 – a Silver event)
(2) the Central London League (2012/13 - a Bronze event).

In relation to (1), we were invoiced £102 for 17 Bronze or non-ECF members at £6 each. Two of these turned out to be Silver+ members according to the final 2012/13 ECF member database. Maybe they joined after the event, but the ECF billing system hadn't caught up.

In relation to (2), we were invoiced £20 for 10 games by non-ECF members. This was correct.

[Roger de Coverly]

In relation to (2), we were invoiced £20 for 10 games by non-ECF members. This was correct.

Was this itemised by individual, club or both?

[James Toon]

In relation to (2), we were invoiced £20 for 10 games by non-ECF members. This was correct.

Was this itemised by individual, club or both?

The invoice showed the player name, club, ECF code, and number of results.

[James Toon]

In relation to (2), we were invoiced £20 for 10 games by non-ECF members. This was correct.

Was this itemised by individual, club or both?

The invoice showed the player name, club, ECF code, and number of results.

I should add that the invoice details were exactly what our internal systems had led us to expect.

[Angus French]

I've seen the invoice for the Croydon & District Chess League and I believe the figures are correct. We expected to be billed for the games of one player but have been told that, although his name is not in the membership list, he joined on 31 August.

My club has yet to receive invoices for two internal rapidplay events.

The covering email for the C&DCL invoice stated: "I had been hoping to issue the invoices during the first week or so in September, but "beta versions" tested on a few leagues indicated that some additional work was needed on the membership database in respect of such areas as players with incorrect grading codes, old scheme members whose memberships expired mid-season and membership applications submitted by post to the Office in August which were not processed until September." and this put me in my mind of the an exchange of views between Roger and Sean, earlier in the current thread:

I would suspect they haven't actually written the system yet.

If the ECF had an operational system, they would be in a position to issue indicative invoices, if only so that all the private systems could be validated. If it's still under development, is that a secret?

No you're not. You said you suspect that they haven't written the system yet. A suspicion is not a fact, especially when that suspicion is wrong.

[Roger de Coverly]

this put me in my mind of the an exchange of views between Roger and Sean, earlier in the current thread:

Quite plainly there wasn't a prototype operational system in July. Had there been, problems of incorrect grading codes and mid season expiries would have been detected, possibly even the potential for delays in processing of postal memberships.

Perhaps I should have said "written and tested " instead of "written" back in July. I take it that hardly anyone relied on their internal estimates to settle with the ECF in advance of the invoice.

[Matt Read]

I received a bill for the Hertford & District league last week and it matches perfectly. Granted, it's a small league with only 10 affiliated teams but the system seems to work and the PDF breakdown I received seems to have stemmed any queries from the clubs that owe fees for non-ECF members.

[David Sedgwick]

Our experience at Pimlico Chess Club is that the billing system is working, but not perfectly. In the past month we have been invoiced for two events:
(1) the 3rd Pimlico Summer Chess Tournament (2013 – a Silver event)
(2) the Central London League (2012/13 - a Bronze event).

In relation to (1), we were invoiced £102 for 17 Bronze or non-ECF members at £6 each. Two of these turned out to be Silver+ members according to the final 2012/13 ECF member database. Maybe they joined after the event, but the ECF billing system hadn't caught up.

In relation to (2), we were invoiced £20 for 10 games by non-ECF members. This was correct.

I don't speak for the ECF, but my understanding is that the £6 fee for Congresses is payable for those who are not ECF Silver members at the time of the event, although payment at an event upgrades Bronze membership to Silver.

If the two players to whom you refer joined after the event, you still have to pay.