Minutes of the meeting of the Policy Committee held on Wednesday 18 April 2007 at Syston

Present: Jim Bingham (President, JB), John Dawkins (JD), Sean Hewitt (SH), Cyril Johnson (CJ), Julie Johnson (JJ), Jim Miller (JM).

1. Apologies

Peter Harrison, Graham Booley.  SH agreed to act as minutes secretary.

2. Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 21 March 2007 were agreed, subject to a number of changes.  Proposed CJ, seconded JM.

3. Matter Arising

4.4 JM asked whether Graham Hewitt had been replaced as County U125 captain.  CJ said that he had captained the side in the one remaining game.  4.9 JM asked what games would be included in the proposed LRCA grading list.  SH replied that currently it would be Leicestershire League, County Championships, Summer Cups, County Matches, Atkins Congress and Club Championship Events although other events could be submitted and included on an honour basis if the PC so desired.  JM asked for a synopsis of the current ECF MO situation, together with the proposal that is to be put forward to the AGM, which JJ/JB provided.

It was agreed that 21 days notice of the AGM would be sent out as normal, and that papers regarding the position with the ECF would go out after the ECF finance council meeting to be held in Birmingham on 28th April 2007.

4. Officers' Reports

4.1 The President had nothing to report.

4.2 SECRETARY The Secretary was not present and no report was received.

4.3 FINANCE CJ asked for any expenses claims to be with him by 25th April 2007

4.4 COUNTY TEAMS With GB absent, SH reported that the Open team are in the 1/4 of the National Counties Minor Championships, playing Norfolk away on Sunday 13th May 2007.

4.5 LEAGUE JM reported that there were three league issues yet to be decided (Runner Up in Div 4, the 2nd team to be relegated from Div 4 and the 2nd team to be relegated from Div 5, which could conceivably be a three way tie).  All other issues settled and there were very few matches left.  The Chapman Cup has 17 entries necessitating a preliminary round.  The Harrod Cup has 11 entries, with two teams still interested as possible late entries.  JM commented that this is feasible within the time scale, and because there is currently a bye in round 1.  The Wylie Cup has 7 entries and will now be run on an all play all basis.

4.6 JUNIOR CJ reported that the Junior (U18) Chess Championships will be on May 26th 2007 at Leicester Museum.  SH asked for and CJ committed to provide an electronic entry form for inclusion on website.  JJ reported that LRCA will not enter a team in the ECF National County Championships as less than 1 month notice of date and venue was given, and Easter occurred within that period, making it impossible to make the necessary arrangements.  [ACTION: CJ]

4.7 CONGRESS SH reported that the Atkins Congress will be held on 21st - 23rd September 2007 subject to PC approving its operation.  Proposed CJ, seconded JM that we should proceed.  JJ expressed concerns if the event were to lose money again.  Motion passed with two abstentions.  JD commented that he felt the event should actively seek out sponsorship, although SH was of the opinion that there was no such thing as commercial sponsorship at this level, merely donations.  It was agreed that it is for the Congress Committee to decide how to proceed.

4.8 PUBLICITY JJ commented that she had nothing additional to report.

4.9 ECF JB felt that all issues re MO and game fee had been aired enough previously, although CJ expressed the view that if our AGM motion re game fee were passed we would be thrown out of the ECF.  The ECF had already threatened to cancel our MO agreement, although it was pointed out they had done so under the misapprehension that the LRCA runs the Leicestershire Chess League.  Rule 1 of the Leicestershire Chess League specifically points out that the league is a separate body which makes its own rules and simply affiliates to the County Association.  The ECF had been given the opportunity to make the case for clubs to continue paying game fee, and the ECF CEO had responded.  His views would be circulated to clubs with the AGM motion.  [ACTION: JB]  SH expressed the view that although this issue had arisen because of a lack of trust in ECF, it had now become a matter of ‘value for money.' It was reported by JJ that the April ECF Council Meeting would consider motions re Direct Members game fee exemption and also a motion that all new MO's would have to financially guarantee that the ECF would not lose money compared to prior payments of game fee.  If the latter motion were passed the meeting felt it unlikely that new MO's would emerge.  SH also expressed his view that the ECF would be likely to give notice to existing MO's to force them to give such financial guarantees in the future.  CJ hypothesised that this may be because the ECF ultimately wanted to operate some form of compulsory rather than voluntary membership scheme.

4.10 MCCU JJ reported that the MCCU have put a motion to ECF April Council Meeting to reduce the number of boards in the graded sections from 16 boards to 12 boards.  Regardless of the decision at national level, the same proposal will be put to the MCCU AGM.

5. Financial Matters

5.1 County teams finances.  CJ presented the draft 2006/7 county team accounts.  The total cost to LRCA was £415.  JM suggested that this entire figure could be saved if the county did not pay travel expenses.  SH commented that if this was the case, it would be almost impossible to field competitive teams.  Instead, SH suggested that circa £130 could be saved from the travelling costs if the ppm was reduced from 20p to 15p, and this should still the out of pocket cost of petrol.  CJ suggested that it could be reduced to 10p with people asking for more where required.  CJ also pointed out that if the MCCU proposal to reduce boards was accepted, then this could further reduce the cost of running county teams.  After a discussion CJ proposed that the county teams budget should be set at £300, seconded by SH and carried unanimously.  It was agreed that how to deliver this budget was a matter for the County Teams Committee but CJ proposed, seconded by SH that the PC recommend to the County Team Committee that travelling expenses should be reduced to 15ppm to accommodate this £300 budget.  Carried unanimously.  CJ to discuss the matter with GB.  [ACTION: CJ]  CJ to discuss with MCCU the possibility of scheduling two matches at home at the same time in order to save venue costs.  [ACTION: CJ]

5.2 Budget for 2007/8 Season.  CJ presented a draft budget which was discussed in detail.  A number of changes were agreed and a finalised budget would be presented to the PC by CJ before 5th May 2007 so that it could be circulated to clubs in good time prior to the AGM.  [ACTION: CJ]

5.3 Outstanding audit of 2005/6 accounts.  CJ presented an email dated 6th Nov 2006 from Steve Machin confirming that the accounts presented an accurate record of the finances of the LRCA for 2005/6.  A discussion regarding a new auditor agreed that the auditor should be known to most local chess players.  A number of candidates had been approached without success, but it was agreed that an audit must be carried out this year prior to the AGM.  On an interim basis SH was appointed auditor for 2006/7, although JJ questioned whether a member of the PC would be seen as independent by the clubs.  CJ to present draft accounts to SH by 7th May 2007 [ACTION: CJ] so that an audit could be carried out prior to the AGM.  [ACTION: SH]

6. Updating of the LRCA Constitution

6.1 PH had circulated an updated version of the LRCA constitution, incorporating changes agreed at previous AGM's which had not subsequently been included in the constitution.  It was agreed that the PC would review the document and report any errors direct to the Secretary.  SH presented a paper [attached] that proposed that the role of President became an Honorary role, and that the current roles of President and Vice President be designated to new roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman.  JM expressed the view that there should be a time limit to the role of Chairman, and after a discussion he proposed 4 years.  JM therefore proposed an amendment to the paper presented by SH regarding the role of "Chairman be elected annually but that the no person may serve more than 4 terms in the role".  SH seconded the amendment, and simultaneously withdrew his own original paper.  Carried Unanimously.

7. AGM 2007 Matters

7.1 The AGM would be held at Scraptoft Valley WMC on 17th May 2007, 7.30pm start time.  Notice to clubs would be sent out by 26th April 2007 [ACTION: PH], with all documentation (apart from the auditors statement) to follow by 10th May 2007.  Draft Accounts [ACTION: CJ], Budget [ACTION: CJ], Officers Reports [ACTION: JB], Motions [ACTION: JB], Nominations [ACTION: JB], Agenda [ACTION: JB], Minutes of last Meeting [ACTION: PH].  CJ confirmed that this would be his last year standing as treasurer.  Mike Salisbury has also been nominated to the role of treasurer so there will be an election this year.  SH was nominated by CJ, seconded JM for role of Vice Chairman (should the post be created).  SH indicated that he would not then wish to continue as Congress Chairman as he felt it would be wrong to hold two posts.  The meeting was informed that SH had therefore proposed Andy Morley to replace him as Congress Chairman.  Ben Pourmozafari has indicated that he will not be standing as U150 captain, so that post will be vacant but can be filled by the County Teams Committee.  CJ will stand as U125 captain.  It was agreed that the PC would put a motion to amend the constitution and delete the post of newsletter editor and instead create the new role of webmaster which would  sit on the publicity committee.  Proposed by SH, seconded JJ.  Carried unanimously.  [ACTION: JB] All other incumbents have declared that they are prepared to continue in their current roles and will be nominated as such by the PC.

7.2 AGM attendance problem.  The PC hopes that the key issue of whether to continue paying the ECF game fee, together with holding the AGM at licensed premises might encourage more delegates to attend.

8. Any Other Business

JD has in his possession some scoresheets from the late Don Gould, and photos which will be scanned onto the LRCA website.  Also a copy Don Gould's History of Leicestershire Chess.  CJ proposed, seconded JD that a motion be put to the AGM creating the post of archivist.  Carried.  [ACTION: JB]

9. Date of Next Meeting

TBA

SH – 19 April 2007