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Updated 3.5.02
BCF NEWS
BCF COUNCIL MEETING
rjh 29.4.02, amended 1.5.02
Council met in Birmingham on Saturday 27th April 2002. Forty-odd attended.
     To begin at the ending, a certain Director had been waiting patiently to give his Report. He found himself left with four minutes before the 6.30 pm absolute deadline. "At least I'll get my four minutes' worth in," he said. Then another MB person, not notably silent up to this point, saw an opportunity to add to the previous item... and used the four minutes up.
     This was perhaps the most unattractive BCF meeting your Webmaster has been at. The culprits were a small number of members of the Management Board who spoke long and often, with no apparent regard for other potential speakers or the expeditious completion of business. A lot of it was in-fighting, plainly done already in the decent obscurity of MB meetings where its prolixities might have best remained.
     We had a guest speaker at the meeting. He sat through an hour and a half of this before his turn came to speak, and if the BCF had decided in advance to make the worst possible impression on him it could scarcely have done a better job. He was talking about how to gain sponsorship.

Yes. Anyway. What did we do?
(1) Game Fee. The MB's recommendation of 32p from 1st September 2002 (increase from 30p) was approved. Voting:

0p
25p
30p
31p
32p

4
3
30
31
94

The Rapidplay fee, in default of any decision to the contrary, is one half of this. There was no motion to the contrary. The default for internal Club games is one third (or one sixth if it's Rapidplay). There was a motion to the contrary: make it 10p (or 5p) for simplicity. It was lost, for simplicity.
(2) BCF Membership. It was proposed that the following categories of people be required to be BCF Direct Members, from a starting date which was doubtless specified but your Webmaster can't find it. (a) Members of the Management Board; (b) BCF officers as defined in the Yearbook; (c) players representing England on the BCF's behalf.
     No one much objected to (c). But there were reservations about MB people who were merely representing Unions and other bodies. Well, perhaps their "bodies" would pay a membership fee for them. But still there were all the individual (and vaguely defined) officers who ran things for the Federation for nothing and might object to being charged twelve quid for the privilege. It went back to the shop.
     The MB while reconsidering will also bear in mind other, longer-term, NCCU proposals leading to exclusion of non-Members from the grading list. The original NCCU proposal was inexplicit about what this meant, and one imagines the MB will consider all options. There are at least two fundamentally different ways of doing it.
     There was a feeling that it would be different if all serious players were members, and if there were not also a separate taxation via Game Fee. Any transitional period is likely to be difficult. A League person said, "If my League achieves 100% Direct Membership, can we hold on to our Game Fee?" The top table's answer was that it was a possibility. We weren't sure how to take that, but we've learned since that it really has been discussed seriously in MB circles. Not with any consensus, we don't think. Someone else suggested a straw poll to see if Council favoured ("universal") Direct Membership in principle. But there are so many ifs and buts it came to nothing.
     You've been waiting for us to tell you how many Direct Members there are, in the new Standard and Junior categories. No figure was volunteered, but we asked and it's 199. Figures for the older categories were not available. It used to be about 1000, if memory serves. Apparently the MB has been pressing the Finance Director for this information for some time. There was a suggestion that he cause it to be placed on the BCF Website immediately after the end of the financial year on the 30th April, and at one point we thought this had been agreed. We became less sure as discussion proceeded. However, our information is that it will be done anyway.
(3) BCF Membership: FIDE-rated players. The MB proposal on this went through. See the next meeting down. This has not been unopposed. See the BCM site 3.5.02, not to mention our own Open Forum.
(4) Money
(a) The budget 2002-3 was approved, and things were said about the Accounts. You'll forgive us if we skate over this. But the Chairman of the Finance Committee remarked that the break-even figure presented for the budget masked a fall of £4000 in reserves. (Is that what they call creative accounting?)
(b) There was a joint proposal, by the WECU and the London League, to the effect that the Finance Director and CEO be required to ensure that detailed financial information (more detailed, in fact) is available to the MB in advance of meetings, rather than just tabled as hitherto. Moreover the proposal called for independent certification to Council that it had been done. This item made waves at the start, because it had been placed at the bottom of the agenda and its proposers wanted it moved up so it wouldn't be crowded out for lack of time. We'd have had no occasion to mention this, had the Finance Director and CEO not spoken for a good five minutes between them explaining why it should not be moved up. It was moved up by an overwhelming majority after that. It was also carried when we got to it, by a majority which was healthy but not overwhelming.
(c) Council approved an MB proposal to make "up to £5000" available for Centenary celebrations in 2004.
(d) The "Challenging for Gold" appeal, launched we think in the last ChessMoves, is now up to about £450.
(e) The draft Standing Financial Instructions were not adopted. They came right at the end of the meeting, and got filibustered out.
(5) Sponsorship. Council heard an informative 30-minute presentation by Simon Scott of the Sports Sponsorship Advisory Service. This was essentially advice on how to go about securing sponsorship, and it would be of interest to small local organisations no less than large national ones. Rather than summarise his presentation we will refer readers to the SSAS's website www.sponsorship-advice.org.
(6) Business Plan 2002-3 was adopted. Someone remarked that the only Director it didn't specify targets for was the Finance Director, but perhaps that was part of the in-fighting. The Chairman of the Finance Committee, while commending the Federation on presenting a Business Plan to Council for the first time, felt that it was only a first step. In particular he regretted that there is no current (three-year) Corporate Plan to inform it.
(7) Conduct of Management Board and Council Meetings. We really ought not to mention this, because it was crowded out. But an item with that title was tabled by the CEO at the start of the meeting. It stated: "I have been concerned for some time about the conduct and behaviour of a few individuals which have been such as to disrupt the smooth running of the business of Board and Council meetings regardless of who is in the chair. There is also a related concern about conduct outside meetings too."
     We have nothing to say about conduct outside meetings, but record with pleasure our full agreement with the CEO about conduct in them.

You will have gathered that Council opted for the 30-minute extension to 6.30, and that even then there were agenda items that didn't get in. John Philpott has some reflections on this in Open Forum. The MB had adjourned their morning session, and resumed when Council had gone. They were still at it when we left at 7.15 after a meeting of our own.
     Your Webmaster is sorry if this report has been subjective even by his standards. It was a nice room, and the hotel was easy to get to.

BCF MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING
in London, Saturday 9th March 2002
Twenty attended including myself, deputising for SCCU Representative Roy Heppinstall, and BCF Office Manager Cynthia Gurney, attending by invitation.
     Once again an inordinate amount of time was spent in agreeing the minutes of the previous meetings and dealing with matters arising. Indeed some sort of record must have been established when these items occupied the entire morning session until the lunch break was taken at 1.10pm after some two hours of exhaustive and exhausting debate.
     This report can only be a summary of the main decisions taken, in particular those affecting chess at grass roots level, and leaving aside some of the more esoteric issues. Here we go then, and in no particular order:-
(1) FIDE registered players. FIDE now requires all rated players to be members of their national federation. This was one of the reasons the BCF launched its new, cheaper, membership structure. It had already been decided to write to all the BCF's rated players inviting them to join. However, this has not been done yet and the MB agreed to ask the April Council meeting to ratify the decision to do it. Anyone not joining by September would be removed from the FIDE list.
     [Stewart Reuben tells us the three responses he's had so far from rated players have been (1) How do I renew my membership?; (2) Total agreement; and (3) I'll never darken the BCF's doorstep again.]
(2) British Championships. It was agreed that the British Championships in 2003 be held in Edinburgh. No firm dates were given but it was indicated that the event would be one week earlier than usual to avoid a clash with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
     It was agreed that this year's British Championships in Torquay (open as usual to competitors from the British Isles and the Commonwealth) would include the Titles of "English Champion" in the U8, U9 and U10 age groups.
(3) Money. A proposal that the BCF commits itself to spending a minimum of £5,000 on Centenary events in 2004 was accepted, although it was not at all clear from where this money would be coming. The main purpose at this stage seemed to be the ability to show potential sponsors of our commitment in any negotiations entered into.
(4) Grading Lists. A proposal by Director of Grading Chris Majer that future Grading Lists be published on the BCF Website was not agreed for this year.
(5) Game Fee. The Director of Finance and Management Services stated that the collection of Game Fee was improving all the time, although more information on Leagues and Congresses was required to maximise the income.
(6) Budget. Eventually the meeting reached discussion of the Budget for 2002/03, in fact the principal and most important item on the agenda. Comments by Finance Chairman John Philpott regarding the likely levels of income from both Game Fee and Direct Membership found considerable support from those present and, after further discussion, it was agreed to reduce total anticipated income under these headings by £5,000. It was also agreed to recommend to Council that Game Fee be raised from 30 to 32p per player per game, a rise double that originally envisaged by the Director, and that the Director would adjust the various totals to produce a break even Budget.
     Note
In an informal discussion after the meeting it was confirmed that the BCF U18 Team Championships scheduled for 13th April in Nuneaton were open to all Counties, subject only to possible limitations of space. Curiously though, no invitations for entries are being issued; teams wishing to compete must contact Peter Turner to confirm their entry, a course of action which I suggest is carried out as a matter of urgency by anyone wishing to enter.
David Smith
SCCU Deputy Representative
10th March 2002

BCF MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING
in London, Saturday 26th January 2002
Roy Heppinstall writes:
This was an extra Management Board meeting whose main purpose was to discuss long term strategy. Nevertheless a few detailed issues were tabled first.
(1) ChessMoves and the Website. John Saunders has resigned as editor of ChessMoves and Angus Dunnington has been appointed in his place. John will continue with his website activities for some time. Discussion took place on whether the gradings should be put on the website. One disadvantage would be that the cost of producing a small number of hard copies could be prohibitive. (It might mean a substantial increase in Game Fee.)
(2) People. Lara Barnes has completed her training as an International Arbiter and her application to FIDE was approved by the Board. James Sherwin's proposed change of registration from USA to UK was noted.
(3) British Championship Congress. The format of the British Championship was discussed and it was agreed that there should be no change. Arrangements for the 2002 championship in Torquay are well in hand and 2004 will also be in Torquay. The location of the 2003 competition was not decided although the possibility of Edinburgh is under discussion.
(4) Junior Chess. Considerable time was spent on a wide ranging discussion on junior chess activities. This was based on an excellent presentation by Peter Turner.
     (a) The Certificate of Excellence Scheme for schools is making a substantial impact with 1300 children sitting the exam last year. Exams are at three levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold. Teachers in schools can become accredited BCF coaches.
     (b) Ampleforth has - for the first time in an U16 competition – a British qualifying place.
     (c) Other ideas discussed were having a junior chess moves, a chess academy and even the possibility of having a GCSE in chess was mooted. The long term strategic aim is to have every child in the country know how to play chess. It was noted that young people are computer literate and hence activities on the internet are of great importance.
     (d) The problem of appointing people to positions involving regular contact with children, or vulnerable adults, was discussed. The CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) is a new executive agency of the Home Office whose primary purpose is to help employees and voluntary organisations make safer recruitment decisions, through a new service called disclosure. This should be particularly useful for any organisation involved in activities for children. Registration for Disclosure under the scheme is necessary. Further details can be obtained from the CRB website http://www.crb.gov.uk. A small sub-committee, consisting of Susan Richards, Peter Turner and Alan Martin, was established to pursue these issues further and report in November.
     (e) A further issue discussed was the large dropout rate between schools and chess clubs – only a small proportion of children who learn to play chess at school subsequently join a chess club. Nick Hawkins and Alan Martin (together with any co-optees) agreed to look into this.
(5) Leagues and Unions and the Board. The question of the closeness of the involvement between Board members and unions/leagues was raised. A number of board members expressed their willingness to attend and speak at meetings of local organisations.

As mentioned above, this was a meeting called to discuss strategic issues. It concentrated principally on junior chess activities. A wide-ranging positive discussion was held, which should bear fruit in the future.

BCF MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING
Saturday 17th November 2001 in Birmingham
David Smith writes:
Fifteen attended including myself, deputising for SCCU Representative Roy Heppinstall who saw fit to give priority to attending his son's wedding celebrations. On balance, I think he probably got the better deal.
     The mood of the meeting was set straight away when an inordinate amount of time was spent in agreeing the minutes of the previous meeting. This included some acrimonious exchanges between certain individuals who seemed unable to agree what had actually been said and agreed at that meeting. In addition the meeting, which had the usual long and complex agenda, was not helped by the late arrival of many of the papers for consideration, some via email the previous evening. This report can only be a summary of the main issues discussed and decisions reached.
(1) Chief Executive Chris Major referred again to his work situation which would more than likely take him to Rome for the next eighteen months or so. After some discussion it was agreed by a large majority that Susan Richards (currently Director of Women's Chess) would take over as Chief Executive immediately upon conclusion of the meeting. However Chris would remain in post as Director of Grading, working closely (via email) with his deputy Dave Thomas in day to day grading matters.
(2) Corporate Plan. The latest version was tabled, but it was decided that there would need to be an additional meeting of the Management Board in the New Year in order to discuss this more fully.
(3) Chess as a Sport. BCF President Gerry Walsh reported that a recent meeting of Sports Ministers had seen no progress with our campaign for Chess as a Sport, although no reasons had been given for this. There was continuing uncertainty on the situation regarding drugs testing. Whilst there were no plans to introduce this at present it was agreed to seek legal advice on the implications, including the insurance situation, for all concerned.
(4) The Finance Director reported that whilst most routine expenditure was in line with budget, he was forecasting net deficit for the year of £8K due to the impact of a voluntary severance payment on the accounts. He stated again (it's been said before) that he will be writing to Constituent Bodies asking them to appoint people to help encourage Game Fee collection and to promote the new Membership Scheme. FIDE rated players have still to be written to persuading them to join the scheme to protect their international rating. There is also a worrying situation regarding sponsorship where some companies are withdrawing their support. Further discussion took place on Internet Chess where the scheme with Games Parlor will need to be renegotiated.
(5) Formal Business. A number of sub-committees of the Management Board were re-appointed and a new Centenary Committee established under the chairmanship of Pam Thomas, who has been long associated with the Hastings International Congress. Other formal business included the appointment of new arbiters Marda Dixon (Sutton) Scott Freeman (Coulsdon) and Rob Hart (Chorley) and the re-affiliation of the North Essex Chess League and the Liverpool Chess Congress. Most of the Directors' reports had not even been considered when the guillotine fell at 6.00pm to everyone's relief.

BCF COUNCIL MEETING
in London, 29th September 2001
rjh 30.9.01
They complained about the stuffy room. Your Webmaster was more disturbed by the gurgles of the water-cooler behind him, and the occasional frenzies of a bored coffee urn. But the room was well filled by the 42 (we made it) people present.
     It seemed for a while that the urn and the water-cooler would be the most interesting things at the meeting. Directors' Reports dragged. We'd read the papers. But it warmed up. It thundered, and personalities crept in, and for the first time at a BCF meeting we heard a rude word in a full-blooded one-word sentence. Maybe we'd better just report the main things in (more or less) chronological order.
(1) Minutes and Matters Arising. We wouldn't mention this, only the meeting set what must surely be a record by spending approximately NO time on these two items put together. Full marks, but there was nowhere to go from there but down.
(2) Finance Director's Report. You know what we are about money, and urn against Finance Director was no contest at the back of the room. But we'd read the papers. We're sure the message is cautious optimism as before.
     The Director mentioned the new Membership categories, and someone asked for the figures so far on "sales". It was too early to be half way sure, but maybe 100 people had signed on at the British. Some might have been existing Full Members downgrading to Standard, but the impression was that this was not the trend. Time would tell.
     Someone else asked how many people on the Management Board had taken out paid Membership. About a third, we think the answer was, but more than it was a few months ago.
     We couldn't help noticing that someone, not the Finance Director, said "augment" instead of grow.
(3) Grading Director's Report. Nothing very new. (We take it you have been looking at the Grading Page.) Council recognised that the new setup has stopped the rot. The new BCF list has attracted no criticism to speak of, that we've heard, and the team got a round of applause.
     Some people mentioned administrative things, like how to get your club's internal games graded, which they had found unclear. The Director agreed that instructions for this sort of thing needed looking at.
     We are, of course, still using a hybrid system. Howard Grist is working on an amended "Chris Howell" one which will be brought on stream when the Grading team has confidence in it. Not in the next twelve months we shouldn't think. The meeting spent much time telling the Grading team how to suck eggs. This is very understandable, after the experiences of the last two or three years, but your Webmaster thinks we're in safe hands.
(4) Home Director's Report. The Director said that the National Club entry form, distributed a fortnight ago, had accidentally given two different versions of the grading limits. Our best attempt at his revised limits is in the National Club page.
(5) Responsibilities of BCF Officers. The Management Board had laudably prepared some job descriptions, which were up for approval by Council. An incomplete version is on the BCF site under "Information". At the meeting a conflict arose between two people who disagreed about who should do what. We won't name them, but the proposed amendment generated heat and the rude word and three votes. We draw no conclusions from the fact that the people who required higher-level voting were concentrated in one part of the room. The argument was terminated, after unpleasantness, by a successful motion that the (amendment) be not put. The job descriptions went through as circulated, or near enough.
     Nearly forgot. One does, with revamped structures of the Management Board. [Alert. Possible Webmaster's opinion.] The new structure, with a Chief Executive and a working President, was approved.
(6) Elections. All the incumbents willing to stand were re-elected. We'll list everyone, in case you weren't sure. President GF Walsh; Chief Executive CE Majer; Finance & Management Services RS McFarland; Marketing JN Hawkins; Womens Chess S Richards; Grading CE Majer; Congress Chess N Graham; Home Chess CFW Johnson; International S Reuben; Junior Chess & Education PR Turner; Coaching M Turner; Internet Chess Nobody (no nominations). FIDE Delegate GF Walsh. Finance Committee Chairman JA Philpott (members R Clark, K Langston, A Martin, D Rowe). Constitution Committee Chairman P Buswell (members VJ Dunleavy, RJ Haddrell, A Leadbetter, JA Philpott). Auditor GF Steele.
     Five things of note:
     (a) President. Steve Davis has lost his job. This is no reflection on him. It was, we understand, largely his idea: he felt that he had been unable to give the job the attention it deserved. We believe he wishes to remain a supporter of the Federation, but in a less structured way. It was remarked, and your Webmaster will bear it out, that he has been fantastic value at the functions he has attended.
     (b) Chief Executive. Chris Majer said his firm had just asked him to do a job which would mean six months out of the country. It might be the week after next, or it might be months off. Either way, it would impinge on the Chief Executive job. Council agreed that this would be OK provided a deputy was in place. It would be left to the Management Board to appoint one. However the name of Alan Martin was mentioned, and Council agreed (with 4 votes against) that he would be an acceptable deputy. (Chris was also re-elected Director of Grading. The impact of a six-month absence on this job would be less severe because it's largely done by email. Readers will have noticed that there is an SCCU implication as well.)
     (c) International Director. Two candidates: Stewart Reuben and Nigel Johnson. They were opponents in 1997, for the post of Chairman. The outcome, this time as last, was a comfortable majority for Stewart Reuben. Both candidates addressed the meeting briefly and answered questions, and the decision, made in their absence, was not a quick one. We weren't going to give the voting figures, but why not? In order of voting: Nigel Johnson 7; Stewart Reuben 22; Neither of the Above 6. This will mean maybe half a dozen abstentions.
     (d) Home Director. Cyril Johnson said he would not stand again in a year's time.
     (e) A Director whom we won't identify. Unusually it was proposed that a sole and incumbent candidate, nominated by the Management Board, be asked to withdraw during discussion. This candidate had been party to the disagreement noted under (5) above. Withdrawal was not required, though six people voted for it, and the candidate was elected comfortably.
(7) An Honour. Bob Wade was elected an Honorary Life Vice-President of the Federation.
(8) Direct Members. This was brought forward from the April meeting. It was agreed not to change the names of the new categories of Membership (Standard and Junior), but to change their representation at Council to one-third of the normal rate.
(9) Next year's Council Meetings. Saturday 27th April 2002, in the MCCU (EACU had been invited, but had declined the offer on the ground that it would benefit very few people geographically); and Saturday 26th October 2002, in Leeds. The Autumn meeting is a month later than the traditional date. This is because the Management Board had found the regular timescale impracticable, and we imagine an October norm is intended for the future.
(10) NCCU Proposals on Membership. The NCCU proposed phasing Direct Membership in, and Game Fee out. Their proposals were maybe premature, and too rigid in detail, and they were referred to the Management Board. The NCCU people had already left by the time we got to this item, so couldn't argue.
(11) Dates of BCF-Stage County Matches. The Director had proposed a rule change to the effect that all rounds should be played one week earlier in alternate years. The intention was to avoid clashes with the MCCU Championship. He withdrew the proposal, because it had turned out to clash with an (even more important) anniversary in 2002. It was referred back to (we think) the Management Board. An alternative proposal from Warwickshire, to make the default weekend for the semi-finals the last weekend in June, was heavily defeated.
     Your Webmaster assumes that the simpler solution (changing the date of the MCCU Championship) has been considered and rejected.
(12) Eligibility to play for a County. The Cambridgeshire thing. The Director had no official view on this. He proposed change merely in order to find out whether the Counties wanted it.
     The proposal was that the club-membership qualification should apply only to members who have paid a subscription to the club, or played for it in the current or previous season. The Director confirmed that paying a sub meant having paid at any time. This would change nothing in the Cambridgeshire case, because life members of Cambridge University CC - the players at issue - have all paid a life membership sub. Essex, or at least it was an Essex person, proposed an amendment to delete the "payment" qualification (so you need to have played for the club). This amendment was carried. Someone else suggested Controller's Discretion in doubtful cases, but it was not pursued. The amended proposal was then carried heavily.
     The Director, guessing no doubt that the meeting would be reported here, made a point of asking us to say the following. When Essex queried some Cambs players earlier this year, the matter was resolved in gentlemanly fashion with no unpleasantness from either side. We're not sure why he wanted this said, since no one at all has suggested otherwise. Rather the contrary, in fact. But we so record it.
(13) Constitution and Protocols. You don't really want to know this, but Council adopted the current versions. Or "current". There are more changes due now.

The meeting closed at 6.30 pm, having scrambled to Any Other Business. There was no Other Business. It was a five-hour stint, all but five minutes, with not even a coffee break. The urn will have been disgusted. Having no break is unusual, and we heard some murmurs from other quarters as well, but it was maybe not a bad thing in the end. People were leaving well before the finish, in a quest for Virgin Trains. Oh, that was the other thing they complained about. Virgin Trains. Must have been a bad day for it. Connex had Electrical Failures at Wadhurst and Trees on the Line at Etchingham.

BCF DIRECT MEMBERSHIP
4.8.01
The August edition of ChessMoves on paper contains the first clear statement we've seen of the benefits of Standard Membership (as compared with Full Members and Joe Public). We reproduce it here since it is clearly aimed at non-Members, who may not see the printed ChessMoves. The online version isn't on line yet, as we write. The ChessMoves list isn't complete, unfortunately, and we've added one item there omitted. See footnote.
     We have treated Junior Members as Standard because they get the same benefits, together with odd extra things like badges.

ChessMoves
Reduced entry, most congresses
Right to have games graded*
Annual grading printout
BCF Grading List
BCF Chess Diary
BCF Yearbook (add £1.50 p & p)
Discounts from leading suppliers
Low-cost chess travel insurance

Full Members
(Charge £35)
Free
Yes
Yes
Free
£9.00
Free
Free
Yes
Yes

Standard Members
(£12, Juniors £10)
Free
No
Yes
£5.00
£10.50
£2.50
£10.00
Yes
Yes

Public

£9 p.a.
No
No
£10.00
£12.00
£4.00
£12.00
No
No

* This benefit is not listed in ChessMoves. It was clearly stated at the April Council meeting, though it took some extracting, and it has been confirmed by the Grading Director. It means, as we have already reported, that Members can submit their games even from an event which did not pay Game Fee.