CHESS SCOTLAND - (CS) MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

City Inn, Glasgow, Sunday, 29 August 2004

 

PRESENT (29 members)

JM Glendinning (chair),G Anderson, DM Bryson, GA Clarke, R Coleman, S Collins, J Dempsey, T Donohue,

G Grant, M Hanley, S Hilton, J Hughes, P Macnab, A McFarlane, L R McKenzie, M Mathie, N Mathie ,

J Montgomery, G Murphy, D Officer, M Officer, CG Perkin, A Petrie, F Petrie, C Pritchett, J Shovlin, R Tweedie, D Wilson and K Stewart (who took the minutes).

APOLOGIES

Apologies had been received from the following: - D Griffin, D Heathwood, C MacGregor, A Maxwell, D Smith,

P Woods, L Wilson

PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the previous AGM, 30 August 2003, were approved. There were no matters arising.

FINANCE

Prior to the AGM, audited accounts for the year to 30 April 2004 had been published on the CS website. Further paper copies were available at the Meeting. There was discussion of how membership might be encouraged, eg by more website services. There was also discussion of the costs of Scottish Chess magazine. The feeling of the meeting was that the printed magazine should break even and that an electronic version be considered. The next Council Meeting should adopt this approach in setting the budget for the following financial year. Aside from a question on the congress account, no other comments were offered on the accounts which were accepted by the members present at the AGM.

DIRECTORS' ANNUAL REPORT

The Annual Report had not yet been published on the CS website and the President apologised for this. It would be published there very soon. The president introduced the verbal reports with some general remarks. CS is a small, almost exclusively voluntary organisation, which achieves a great deal.

The North Ayrshire schools' project had been a superb idea, brilliantly managed by Dick Heathwood with fine work by the coaches and others.

The CS website is world class with excellent input from Alex Bisset on grading, and contains a huge amount of information expertly managed by Douglas Bryson.

Glorney/Faber Cups: This was our final time of participation, as the European team championships (being stronger) will be entered instead. Peter Macnab's team had organised a superb final event in Aberdeen .

Also on the junior side, Craig Pritchett had made great efforts to co-ordinate activity and several new volunteers had been recruited to assist. In this respect, the President emphasised how important it is that everyone should work together and avoid divisiveness.

There had been many stunning results by Scottish players. The meeting formally recorded its congratulations to Jonathan Rowson on winning the British Championship, our first representative to do so for 58 years. He had also won the Scottish Championship and the Hastings Premier. Congratulations were also offered to Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant, Joe Redpath and Amy Officer for their successes at the British'.

 

Particular aspects of the Annual Report giving rise to comment were:-

A panel is working on the rules for award of Scottish Girl Player of the Year.

J Montgomery asked if a sponsor information pack derived from the Glorney/Faber Cup event could be produced.

G Grant appealed for more assistance in organising junior events.

F Petrie stated she was standing down as director as a result of beaurocratic differences of opinion.

APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS

John Glendinning confirmed his willingness to continue as President for another year, no alternative nominations were offered and John Glendinning's appointment was confirmed.

Council membership was reviewed and the following appointments made for the coming year. No alternative nominations were made in respect of any of the roles so no voting procedure was required.

The meeting agreed that the sole function of the new Executive Director will be to progress a structural review leading to a revision of the Constitution.

The meeting agreed on the proposal by the President that this review should consider the extent to which decision making should be devolved from Directors, and whether the Junior Commission should become a decision making body within the overall structure of General and Council Meetings.

OTHER ELECTIONS: (ROLE, NAME)

Chess Club - Crowwood Chess Club - Edinburgh

Chess Club - St Mary's School Chess Club - Stirling

Congress - Glasgow Montrose Congress - Wester Hailes

Executive Director - GAA Murphy

FIDE Delegate - D Griffin

Finance Director - LR McKenzie

Home Chess Director - AH McFarlane

Individual - A Plato Individual - D Wilson

Individual (junior) - R Coleman Individual (lady) - D Officer

International Director - D Griffin

Junior Auditor - R Tweedie

Promotions Director - vacant Regional Director - vacant

Schools Project Director - CW Pritchett

Strategy Director - JM Glendinning

Technical Director - K Stewart

Director - P Macnab

K Oswald was reappointed as Financial Auditor.

On behalf of all members, the President expressed his thanks to all Council Members and Directors for giving their time and effort in the interests of chess in Scotland .

AOB

The meeting formally noted its appreciation of the work done by D Heathwood, in particular in connection with the north Ayrshire project. He has offered to continue helping with this, though not in the project management capacity.

The meeting agreed to award Alexander Bisset Life Membership in thanks for his work on the grading system.

The meeting expressed its thanks to Peter Macnab for his work as Marketing Director and organisation of the Glorney/Faber Cups.

It was agreed that efforts should be made to further organise and expand the archive material held by CS.

G Grant invited members to look at the SNCL website www.sncl.org.uk

S Hilton stated that the Braille Chess Association seeks volunteers to record chess books.

 

NEXT MEETING

It was agreed that a date for next year's AGM would be added to these minutes after consultation. The date arranged is (will be added very shortly).

 

The meeting closed at 4.10pm.