English Chess Forum

Hi, does anyone know if the ECF plan to raise the prices of membership for next season (i.e. 2016-2017 chess season?)

David Blower wrote:Hi, does anyone know if the ECF plan to raise the prices of membership for next season (i.e. 2016-2017 chess season?)

What the ECF does has to be agreed by the ECF Directors and more importantly by the voting members at the Finance Council meetings.

The Finance Director is planning increases, the Budget spreadsheet put forward at the April 2015 meeting was proposing future increases of £ 2 a year for Gold and Platinum members, £ 1.50 for Silver and £ 1.00 for Bronze. It also proposed that charges to non-members in Leagues be increased by 25p per game each year and the charge to non-members for playing in a Congress increase by 50p per Congress each year.

but it is possible to put a proposel in to change the ecf membership?

John Reyes wrote:but it is possible to put a proposel in to change the ecf membership?

John Philpott will be able to give a definitive answer but I believe any of the requisitionists (of which the NCCU are one) can table a motion.

John Reyes wrote:but it is possible to put a proposel in to change the ecf membership?

The rules about putting forward motions for discussion at the AGM and Finance meetings are on the ECF website.
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/finance-council-meeting/

Depending on who you are or represent, a voting member will need the support of other voting members. Those wearing multiple representative hats can initiate action on their own. Whether they are supposed to consult the organisations they nominally represent is between them and the organisation.

The proposal to amalgamate over time the Bronze and Silver categories might be recalled. In the event only the proposers appeared to support it.
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... Silver.pdf

Roger de Coverly wrote:The Finance Director is planning increases, the Budget spreadsheet put forward at the April 2015 meeting was proposing future increases of £ 2 a year for Gold and Platinum members, £ 1.50 for Silver and £ 1.00 for Bronze. It also proposed that charges to non-members in Leagues be increased by 25p per game each year and the charge to non-members for playing in a Congress increase by 50p per Congress each year.

The situation has changed. Malcolm Pein, in his election address to the October 2015 AGM, promised to raise funds for the International teams which members would otherwise be asked to support through a further increase in membership fees.

Malcolm Pein in his election address wrote:There is a danger that the shortfall will have to be met by increasing Members fees and I very much want to avoid that.

I have years of experience in raising money for chess in our country and have raised over £5 million since 2010 for Chess in Schools and Communities and the London Chess Classic. If elected, I will use my best efforts to raise sufficient funds to send our best possible teams to forthcoming events, both men and women. If I fail in this I will not seek re-election to the post of International Director in 2016.

Malcolm didn't "promise". He said he would use his best efforts.

If the ECF are going to raise prices, they would be better off in my opinion in doing one big price increase, (and then keeping it the same for several years) rather than several smaller staged ones over several years.

Mike Truran wrote:Malcolm didn't "promise". He said he would use his best efforts.

Yes, I stand corrected. Though certainly the votes I cast for Malcolm were in expectation.

I suspect if anyone can do it, it's going to be Malcolm.

Mike Truran wrote:I suspect if anyone can do it, it's going to be Malcolm.

Agreed.

How many members are in each level? tyia

Steven DuCharme wrote:How many members are in each level?

The aggregate usually adds up to around 10,000.

A recent analysis published by the Membership Director is
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/wp-conte ... 015-v2.pdf

I know the NCCU is Looking to put a motion in about the Bronze Membership fees!!!

Watch this space!

Roger de Coverly wrote:

David Blower wrote:Hi, does anyone know if the ECF plan to raise the prices of membership for next season (i.e. 2016-2017 chess season?)

What the ECF does has to be agreed by the ECF Directors and more importantly by the voting members at the Finance Council meetings.

The Finance Director is planning increases, the Budget spreadsheet put forward at the April 2015 meeting was proposing future increases of £ 2 a year for Gold and Platinum members, £ 1.50 for Silver and £ 1.00 for Bronze. It also proposed that charges to non-members in Leagues be increased by 25p per game each year and the charge to non-members for playing in a Congress increase by 50p per Congress each year.

Thanks. Is this likely to get the go ahead, and if so, when will the "ordinary" ECF members (of which I class myself as an "ordinary" member) know about the final decision being made?