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CHESS SCOTLAND (CS) MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING

Prudential Offices, Craigforth, Stirling Saturday 9 April 2005

 

PRESENT

Members of Council:

JM Glendinning (chair), G Anderson, GA Clarke, R Coleman, S Collins, T Donohue, S Emery, DL Gillespie, G Grant, J Hughes, P Macnab, A McFarlane, LR McKenzie, A Plato, J Shovlin, D Wilson and K Stewart (minutes).

Representatives of SJC:

C Hampton, M Hanley, A Howie

Non Member of Council:

L Shovlin

 

APOLOGIES

Apologies had been received from the following: - DM Bryson, K Emery, D Griffin, D Leslie, I Mackintosh, M Mathie, N Mathie, J Montgomery, S O'Donnell, D Officer, C Pritchett, R Tweedie

 

PREVIOUS MEETING

The Minutes of the previous Council Meeting, 20 February 2005, were approved.

 

MATTERS ARISING

None

 

SCOTTISH CONGRESS

A McFarlane as Director of Home Chess reported that the basic arrangements for the congress in Oban were now fixed. The dates would be 2-10 July. No sponsorship had yet been found and a decision on terms for titled players was being delayed. The event would have the same format as before. The school let would cost £1500, though there remained the possibility of a reduction. Entry forms were now out.

 

SCOTTISH CHESS MAGAZINE

S Collins reported that the October, December and February issues had all now been published and that the April issue was with the printer. The June issue was in preparation, with help from Robbie Coleman. Council thanked the editor for his efforts in bringing the magazine up to date.

G Anderson commented that some economies had been made on complimentary copies and that a check was being made with libraries as to whether the magazine was still wanted by them.

 

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

The President introduced a document ( "the document") regarding constitutional changes which he had previously circulated. He explained that the document aimed to take account of many of the views expressed to him in consultation since the last meeting. He emphasised the key importance of there being one organisation with junior organisers crucial to this, but these were not the only changes which he suggested should be made. The AGM should be changed to give it more powers outside the area of formal procedures so that issues raised by members could be discussed with binding decisions taken. The purpose of Council should be primarily to approve the budget and business plan for the forthcoming year. A Management Board was needed, to drive strategic direction, to promote essential schools' development and to give a forum to address problems individual directors might have.

Extensive discussion followed on a number of aspects of this.

Council agreed that a group of three should be set up to progress this matter, comprising the president, one person nominated by SJC (if they supported the proposed constitutional changes) and a third to be appointed via the president. Taking account of the views expressed by Council, the group would produce (a) a revised document of proposals, (b) a revised constitution for discussion at a SGM some time before the AGM in 2005.

 

SCOTTISH JUNIOR CHESS (SJC)

The President began by asking Council to assist in listing the outstanding issues to be resolved.

Trust between those of different views was identified as the key factor, from which the rest would flow. Considerable discussion followed around this point.

Other areas were then discussed and the way forward agreed as follows:


Voting: The proposals put forward in the document would be followed. Two directors for the junior area would be nominated by the Junior Board (without precluding other nominations) for election at the AGM. Other members of the Junior Board would then be appointed in various ways.

Budget: The document had laid out a process for this. A separate junior account was quite possible, so long as it was thoroughly accounted for. Separate fundraising was also possible but would require co-ordination. Its exact scope would need to be set out to meet the concerns of the Finance Director and operational desires of the junior organisers.

Plans: These would be prepared by an inclusive junior group in advance of constitutional change.

Branding: To be made unambiguous via the memorandum of understanding.

Membership: Dual membership was possible at present. This would also be dealt with by the constitution group.

To ensure an absence of ambiguity, a memorandum of understanding would be produced by the constitutional group of three. This would set out operational and behavioural issues such as the junior account, branding and membership.

Other related issues were:

SJC would meet later in the day and would report back to CS on their discussions.

All CS junior tournaments should be finished even if they were currently declared to be cancelled. The President would action this via junior organisers.

The winner of a draw held at Dalguise would receive a voucher for certain free congress entries.

Glynis Grant announced her retirement from the post of Junior Director. The President thanked her for her work on behalf of Council.

 

BUDGET 2005-06

LR McKenzie, Finance Director, detailed the proposed fees (previously circulated). He was assuming uptake numbers similar to the previous year and had made only small changes. Junior grading rates had been formalised at half the adult rates. G Anderson has investigated Pay Pal and found that it would not provide any advantage for collecting CS fees. The existing procedure for paying by credit card at Chess Suppliers would continue. He also commented on the enforced high rates for congress insurance and the low uptake.

Council approved the proposed budget and fees.

 

OTHER BUSINESS

1. S Collins informed the meeting that the Glasgow League Management Committee wished to celebrate the centenary of the league by holding the Scottish Championships in 2008. A contribution of , 2000 would be available from money left to the league by Ted Fitzjames. Council welcomed this idea and asked that their appreciation be conveyed to the Glasgow League.

2. The Ayrshire Congress would be held on 7-9 October.

3. G Anderson notified the meeting that he planned to organise the vote for Player of the Year in the same way as last year, ie by requesting nominations and then arranging voting. This was agreed.

4. K Stewart reported that seven candidate arbiters had recently passed the examination. Two BCF Arbiters (L Barnes and P Thomas) who were now involved with Scottish congresses had been approved as CS Arbiters. The Arbiters' Committee had drawn up a procedure for reporting and recording players whose behaviour gave cause for concern. This was agreed with small additions.

 

NEXT MEETING

To be arranged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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