Chess Scotland Management Board Meeting

Held on Wednesday, November 5th , 2008 at 8:05pm in Milngavie (Glasgow)

Present: Jacob Aagaard (JA), Sam Collins (SC), John Dempsey (JD),

Andy Howie (AH), Mac MacKenzie (MM) ,

Jacqui Thomas (JT), Donald Wilson (DW – Chair )

Apologies: Jonathan Grant (JG), Peter Woods (PW)

Attending: Trevor Davies

The Minutes of the previous meeting were not reviewed.

 

1. Budgets

For the benefit of the newly appointed directors, MM outlined the conditions relating to the government grant:

- accounted on annual basis (April-March)

- for staff/office expenditure (HQ grant)

- unused funds are lost

- grant renewal (awarded for three years) to be sought in 18 months time

- six-monthly reports/accounts are submitted

JD requested details of the process for grant renewal. Action: MM

Further, MM noted that:

- budgets are listed on website

- expenditure, to date, is well within these budgets

 

JA requested confirmation of the funds remaining (believed to be £1200.00) in the Scottish Championship account. Action: MM

 

Funding of the Tri-nations Glorney/Faber event. The Board re-affirmed that Scotland would host this event in July 2009, now that much of the cost would fall to the competitors. In addition, it is expected that some monies would be forthcoming from the Trust Fund.

AH undertook to agree costs with Tournament Director, PT, so that a budget could be set for the next financial year. Action: AH

JD questioned the £560.00 allocation to the Postal Chess Association. It was agreed that this would be reviewed in February. A business case for its renewal would have to be submitted. MM to inform the association's secretary. Action: MM

 

MM reported that requests for funding had been received, through a circuitous route, from persons claiming to represent an association of deaf players. It was agreed that such requests could not be considered unless they were submitted formally in writing, with suitable documentation to prove their bona fides and through proper channels. In the event of further contact, these parties should be advised accordingly.

Action: MM

 

 

2. Secondary (Allegro) Team Event - sponsored by the Law Society

JT reported that a meeting had been held at the Law Society offices ( Edinburgh ) a week earlier between: JT, DW, Craig Pritchett (CP) (former CS director), Lynsey Shovlin (LS) (Tournament Director) and Gordon Brewster (Law Society).

PW, as Marketing Director, had been invited to produce entry forms, posters and a website for the event. These materials were reviewed at the meeting and were warmly commended by the Law Society representative at the meeting. However, some days later, LS raised some objections via email to certain aspects of these materials, but these were not supported by the other directors. Regrettably, positions became polarized by subsequent email communications.

 

The Management Board agreed that this matter should be resolved urgently by face-to-face discussion, having regard for the views of the sponsor, the Tournament Director and the relevant directors, representing the CS interest. JT and AH agreed to arrange an early meeting with LS. Action: AH, JT

The meeting took place a few days later and it was reported that an amicable solution had been found.

 

MM informed the Board that an invoice for expenses had been received from LS (a budget had been agreed for this purpose . An increase in the budget from £75 to £100 had been requested by CP ). The Board confirmed that expenses to date should be reimbursed. Action: MM

 

3. Standards Committee

The Board expressed their support for a proposal by Trevor Davies (circulated by JD in advance) advocating the appointment of a small group to draft a full proposal for the creation of a “ Standards Committee”, whose remit would be (a) to define and publicize standards, (b) to promote these standards, (c) to investigate instances where these standards are breached, and, (d) to determine and apply appropriate sanctions where necessary. It was agreed that this proposal should be submitted to Council for approval. Action: JD

 

 

4. Montenegro Event

The Board deferred discussion of certain issues that had arisen in connection with this event until the Report had been received from Phil Thomas.

MM noted that some monies remained outstanding from participants. Action: MM

 

The Board affirmed that all (junior) players in international events must in future, without exception, submit an “in loco parentis” proforma.

Action: PT

 

 

5. Time Limits for Junior Events

It was noted that a motion had been passed at the 2008 AGM relating to the grading of games of less than one hour's duration. It had only become known subsequently that this would create significant difficulties for the “ CFK ” series of events.

On JA's suggestion, the Board agreed that JA, AH and Douglas Bryson (Grading Officer) should meet to find a way to resolve this problem, as soon as possible.

JA also invited the Board to submit suggestions for a solution.

Action: JA

 

 

6. Scottish Championship – Edinburgh 2009

JA (Tournament Director) reported that:

£5k had been secured from Edinburgh Council

(via a contact provided by Alex McFarlane)

Venue – Edinburgh City Chambers (worth £20k+)

Nine-round International Open

Alex McFarlane will act as Technical Director

“ Sofia ” rules will apply

Entry fee will be £99 (£75 for CS members)

Six or seven players would be invited, including five top Scottish players

(incl. Ar a khamia-Grant, as agreed, in recognition of her change of affiliation)

Four sensory boards would be purchased at Dresden .

16 sensory boards would be borrowed from ECF - David Clayton's expenses to be funded. (Need to check internet access.)

Good private accommodation for overseas players will be needed in Edinburgh .

(DW had written to Terry Purkins, on behalf of JA , asking that such a request be put to Edinburgh/Lothians players through Chess Edinburgh ).

 

JA said that if an organiser could be found, he had no objection to hosting Junior events at the same time. Marketing materials should be themed around “The Year of the Returning Scot”. On enquiry, MM stated that it was a matter for the Directors to determine a budget for the event.

Action: JA

 

 

7. Primary Team Competitions

It was agreed that, this year, these competitions should be run as a single event by the SJC team.

SJC would underwrite any loss or retain all profits.

It was agreed that these arrangements would be reviewed annually.

It was noted that the entry forms had already been printed under the SJC banner. It was agreed that the website and other materials, where possible, should show this to be a joint CS / SJC event.

There would be approximately ten regional “heats”, with a final at the end of April 2009.

It was agreed that in future, to forestall any technical problems, all heats must have at least one CS-appointed arbiter (i.e., not necessarily a qualified arbiter).

Action: JT

 

 

8. Junior International (Quadrangular) - Liverpool

JT reported that:

The event would take place on December 12-14 th , 2008

Accommodation and (bus) transportation had been secured

Alan Tate had agreed to act as coach (would join bus at Dundee ).

26 players would take part [10 at u12; 10 at u14; 6 at u16]

Cost/child was expected to be £85 at most. ( Subsequently finalised at £75)

JT, AH and DW expected to travel with the party.

 

First invitations had been issued and replies were due by November 11 th , in advance of the Junior Board Meeting (Nov 15 th ). PT intends to do a “Training Day” on 7 December with the assistance of Alan Tate and two

o o lder juniors (Daniel Rocks, Andrew Green) who have offered to help.

Action: JT/ PT

 

 

9. Primary Individual Tournament

JT reported that:

The event would take place on the first weekend in June 2009

The venue is Dolphin House, situated in the grounds of Culzean Castle (Ayrshire)

– a deposit of £300 was required to secure the booking .

Restricted to 32 selected leading Primary School players.

The venue is better, but more expensive, than the previous venue (at Aberfeldy).

The 2009 budget will need to take this into account.

Action: JT

 

 

10. Secondary Team Event

JT reported that the organizer, Steven Taylor ( Irvine ), expected to make a loss on this event. The current deficit was £192.00 and this was expected to rise to c£300.00. Sponsorship for this event (formerly provided by “The Scotsman”) was being sought.

 

 

11. Secondary Level Chess

JT said that it was vital to promote Secondary Level chess. The following suggestions were offered:

Offer schools a “2 for 1” package under the Schools' “Supported Study” scheme.

(Expensive but, without an incentive, access to schools is difficult)

Produce and deliver 1-day workshops for teachers.

Tap into local authority CPD budgets to train teachers (Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire ). Revenue-raising, but perhaps ineffective.

Bankton School 's Event – can this be resurrected? (Why did it end?)

Invest in “later years” ? (Age 14-17, i.e., beyond the “impressionable age”)

 

 

12. Junior Website

It was requested that there should be a link to this from the CS website

Action: JD

 

 

13. Girls' Tournament

It was agreed that the issues raised by John Shovlin should be dealt with at the January Council meeting.

Action: JD

 

14. West of Scotland Tournament

SC informed the Board that this tournament would be shifted to end-February (the ‘ Glasgow Allegro” would be re-scheduled to make way for it).

 

 

15. “Rampant Chess”

JA commended this book (a collection of games played by the top Scottish players, edited and annotated by Geoff Chandler and Keith Ruxton, and published by “Quality Chess” ) to the Board. He said that all profits would be donated to CS, with the proviso that the authors wished to be consulted on how these funds should be spent. JA said that maximum benefit would be gained if the book was purchased through “Chess Suppliers.” (Board members took the opportunity to purchase copies of the book at the meeting.)

 

 

16. Training Weekend

JA informed the Board that he would be organizing another ‘Training Weekend” in the

Spring. The tutor would be GM Tiger Hillarp Perrson.

 

 

17. Internet Coaching

JA hoped to develop internet-based training sessions (pitched at the 1200-1800 level), which would be priced at circa £20/session. The profits would be channelled into the “Aagaard Fund” .

 

 

18. CS Notice-board

At the AGM , it had been alleged that a serious abuse of the CS online notice-board had been perpetrated. AH reported that he and Douglas Bryson had checked the archives and found no substance to that allegation.

 

 

The Meeting ended at 11:00