Has the white smoke gone up yet?

[Sean Hewitt]

So, are the results of the ECF elections known yet? I'm stuck in the Arizona desert and can only get online now and then!

If anyone can text me the results to 07883 49 57 58 that would be great.

[Carl Hibbard]

So, are the results of the ECF elections known yet? I'm stuck in the Arizona desert and can only get online now and then!

If anyone can text me the results to 07883 49 57 58 that would be great.

All quiet as of yet so nothing to report

[Sean Hewitt]

Fresh news has reached me in Arizona!

CJ is President

Adam is director of home chess

I lost in the non exec vote (I got 95 votes, Alan Martin 112 and John Wickham 146)

Nigel got 101 votes, Gerry 98 and 6 for none of the above

Much more important though is the following news

The DCMS grant payments have been put on hold as they are worried about the ECFs plans to stay solvent. The ECF received a letter from DCMS this week confirming this.

Without that money they are in serious trouble. Having lost I won't be able to lend my expertise to the situation but perhaps that's a good thing as being a director of an insolvent company is not good.

[Eoin Devane]

Hard luck Sean, and well done to CJ, Adam and Nigel.

As for the DCMS payments - I presume that discussion of this situation dominated / is dominating the meeting. I hope that some sort of plan is decided on to get the ECF out of this potential disaster.

[William Metcalfe]

So we are finally rid of Jerry walsh but the same thing has happened to the ECF that happened to cleveland chess the whole organisation has been left in a truly terrible mess.This whole thing comes about because of a previous lack of organisation,Direction,Vision,and no planning for the future what a legacy to be left of the rein of Jerry Walsh and his pals
What are the ramifications of the dms grant being suspended is the ECF now officially bankrupt if so where does that leave us all especially people like myself who have just paid money to become MO members.

[benedgell]

I got a message from CJ, telling me that both himself and Adam Raoof got about 130 votes each, and won by a comfortable margin.

[Michele Clack]

This is not a good situation to be in but particularly so with no Finance Director. Is this why no one wants the job or is the lack of an FD a big factor in why the grant has been pulled? Is there any prospect of the grant being re-instated if the ECF puts it house in order?

[Eoin Devane]

Is there any prospect of the grant being re-instated if the ECF puts it house in order?

The fact that Sean's quote says that the grant payments have been "put on hold" suggests that it has not been completely pulled but that there is a possibility that the ECF could remedy the situation. I would assume that this (along with any conditions under which payments will be resumed) was layed out in the letter to which Sean refers.

[Roger de Coverly]

that the grant payments have been "put on hold"

The grant is £60000 for the year in quarterly instalments of which one has already been paid. Immediate financial disaster can be avoided by borrowing from CCL. In the longer term, there remains the BCF PIF which could in extreme circumstances be used to support the ECF. There still remains the problem of who actually owns and controls the BCF PIF and whether there are circumstances where they would leave the ECF to go under, so as to use the assets in support of a replacement organisation. Didn't the athletics federation go under a few years ago?

ECFs plans to stay solvent.

I believe they will have to reply with a "formal" plan - presumably it will have to detail some or all of measures to increase revenue, cut expenditure or raise fresh capital.

[Mike Gunn]

The votes in the contested elections at the ECF AGM were:

President
CJ de Mooi 164 elected
John Paines 34

Non Exec Direectors (2)d
Seah Hewitt 95
Alan Martin 112 ekected
John Wickhaam 146 ekected

Director of Home Chess
Cyril Johnson 77
Adam Raoof 131 elected

FIDE Delegate
Nigel Short 101 elected
Gerry Walsh 98

The ECF board have to produce a rescue plan AND a finance director before the men from the ministry will consider opening their purse again.

[Peter Rhodes]

Congratulations to CJ and Nigel, that's a nice result.

[Carl Hibbard]

So even CFS got relegated to a minor role - what was said on that?

[Scott Freeman]

I suppose this will be obvious to many but I must ask whom CFS is who now only has a minor role? Thanks in anticipation to whoever tells me!

[Mike Gunn]

Hi Scott. CFS = Chess For Schools.

Holloid have now made another 1500 sets making 2000 in total. Sets have despatched to 100 schools in East Sussex.

Chris Majer said (in response to a question from me) that Holloid will produce the 80,000 sets for the 8,000 schools who have requested them and he believes that Holloid obtaining sponsorship is not a pre-condition. The main problem (it is now suggested) is the one of managing distribution, Local offers of help with this would be welcome. There is no agreed timescale for the distribution of sets but the aim is that the 80,000 should be distributed before the end of the academic year.

[Scott Freeman]

Thanks Mike. Mystery over. I had been going through our database searching players with a first name beginning with C and a surname beginning with S. That rather explains why I couldn't find anyone! Appreciated.