Simply not good enough

[Angus French]

Ernie,

You imply that the President has responsibility for day-to-day operations. Isn’t that the responsibility of the Chief Executive though – doesn’t it define what the Chief Executive does? If successive Chief Executives haven’t been able to perform this role then what have they been doing?

There’s been a great deal of flack on this forum against Gerry Walsh, Peter Wilson and even Charles Wood (I say ‘even’ because Charles was a relative underling and the buck didn’t stop with him). It seems to me, however, that the situation is not so simple. Others were involved too. Pertinent, to my mind, are the lack of a contract with Holloid and the question of whether 'due diligence' was carried out. Wouldn’t these come under the remit of the Chief Executive with backup from the board? In the board meetings where the CfS project was discussed, didn’t the Finance Director and the legal director/adviser (or others) express views on the need or not for a contract and for a due diligence process? If Martin Regan, as CEO, was, as he says, pre-empted by the issue of press releases, why didn’t he take action to deal with the situation?

[Steve Henderson]

I think this post makes things very clear

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?p=7059#p7059

[John Upham]

Ernie,

You imply that the President has responsibility for day-to-day operations. Isn’t that the responsibility of the Chief Executive though – doesn’t it define what the Chief Executive does? If successive Chief Executives haven’t been able to perform this role then what have they been doing?

Angus,
You might recall my Christmas poll on who are string pullers (as opposed to the puppets) at the ECF...

After many conversations with many different persons up and down the land my personal perceived pecking order is :

• 1. David W Anderton OBE

• 2. Cynthia Gurney

• 3. Gerry F Walsh

• 10. The CEO (whoever that is at the time)

• 11. The Board of Directors

• 12. ECF Council Members

and, in the words of Esther Rantzen, "Unless you know different?"....

[andrew martin]

The most annoying thing is the silence, where perfectly reasonable queries and requests are simply ignored.

I put it down to one of two things:


1) Arrogance

2) Incompetance

Possibly a combination of the two. Possibly there is a bit of fear involved.


The members are now asking the obvious question : what is going on ?


How do we get an answer? Any suggestions?

[John Upham]

How do we get an answer? Any suggestions?

Has anyone written to Vera Baird MP or Charles Clarke MP recently?

I can imagine they'd be not-too-chuffed to find their names are connected a failed project.

Perhaps we could write to them as concerned parents? Anyone know their contact details?

Check this link out people http://www.labouronline.org/wibs/166155 ... 21dfa9e45d

Who is the man at the back?

and

http://www.labouronline.org/wibs/165169 ... 90ee39c40d

and http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/06/uk-chess.html

disturbing for the MP involved is http://michaelwills.labour.co.uk/bc8546 ... 79b862afa4

and even worse is http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/slaggyi ... ge25.phtml

which asserts :

Here's a man you'll be hearing more about. Born in Napier Street, Gerry became an International Chess Champion and now travels the world as an International Chess Referee!

Indeed, don't we know it!

[Carl Hibbard]

Why do the non-exec directors (hint..) have no say in performance as per a normal company?

[Carl Hibbard]

To quote:-

Role of the Non-Executive Director

Strategy: Non-executive directors should constructively challenge and contribute
to the development of strategy.

Performance: Non-executive directors should scrutinise the performance of
management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting
of performance.

Risk: Non-executive directors should satisfy themselves that financial information
is accurate and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust
and defensible.

People: Non-executive directors are responsible for determining appropriate
levels of remuneration of executive directors and have a prime role in appointing,
and where necessary removing, senior management and in succession planning.

[John Philpott]

Martin

Thank you for drawing Regulation No. 2 to my attention. Apart from the specific point you highlight, this also provides a partial answer to Carl in that there is a job description for the NEDs:

Bring their business, chess playing and organisational skills and experience to bear on the Board’s decision-making processes, acting at all times in the interests of the ECF as a whole.

To monitor in a non-executive capacity the Executive Directors.

To ensure that the views of unions, leagues, congresses and other member organisations are properly considered at Board meetings.

Not everybody on the Forum will necessarily be aware that there is an ECF Board meeting in Birmingham on Saturday to which the Constituent Units have been invited to send representatives. There may be one or two very interesting questions asked, and I am almost sorry that I am already committed to taking my sons up to St James' Park that afternoon.

[John Upham]

Martin
Not everybody on the Forum will necessarily be aware that there is an ECF Board meeting in Birmingham on Saturday to which the Constituent Units have been invited to send representatives. There may be one or two very interesting questions asked, and I am almost sorry that I am already committed to taking my sons up to St James' Park that afternoon.

John,

Can you let me know who the individuals are who represent my playing actvities please?

These are :
Surrey Border League, Berkshire League, Chiltern League, London League, 4NCL.

Thanks in anticipation.

[John Philpott]

John

I believe that Mike Adams represents the Surrey Border League, Nigel Dennis Berkshire and the Chiltern League and Brian Smith the London League. I am not sure who the current 4NCL representative is, but Mike Truran doubtless will.

Of these organisations the only one which qualifies as a Constituent Unit and which will therefore have been invited to send a representative to Saturday's Board meeting is the London League.

[John Upham]

John

I believe that Mike Adams represents the Surrey Border League, Nigel Dennis Berkshire and the Chiltern League and Brian Smith the London League. I am not sure who the current 4NCL representative is, but Mike Truran doubtless will.

Of these organisations the only one which qualifies as a Constituent Unit and which will therefore have been invited to send a representative to Saturday's Board meeting is the London League.

Thanks John.

Can you reveal the Agenda?

[John Philpott]

John Upham wrote

Can you reveal the Agenda?

I do not think that would be appropriate - the agenda is the property of the meeting. However, I do not think that I would be breaching any particular confidence if I reported that it included Chess for Schools as item 5.1 and issues that the Constituent Units wish to be raised as item 9.

[John Upham]

I do not think that would be appropriate - the agenda is the property of the meeting. However, I do not think that I would be breaching any particular confidence if I reported that it included Chess for Schools as item 5.1 and issues that the Constituent Units wish to be raised as item 9.

So CSfS is not dumped into AOB this time...

Who will be the important persons attending?

Who do I need to contact to determine the Agenda?