IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

ABOUT ECF MEMBERSHIP & THE MCCU

Rather than waiting until the next newsletter is due to be issued I felt that Midlands chess players should hear about ECF membership developments now, especially as urgent action is needed if we are to follow through decisions made at the Midlands AGM. 

As was reported in the last newsletter, the ECF had called a special meeting which included motions setting up the basic framework for ECF membership schemes to be operated by Unions, Counties or Leagues. These appeared in the Midlands newsletter. The framework envisaged mandatory membership. At the MCCU AGM a motion was passed in favour of the Union setting up a non-mandatory a membership scheme, should the ECF Special meeting agree to the existing motion being amended to exclude its mandatory element, and that amended motion be passed. The meeting further agreed that the MCCU should seek to be part of the first tranche of organisations seeking to set up a scheme using the framework.  A draft agreement is available to view here.

The ECF meeting did indeed approve the setting up of non-mandatory membership schemes. The wording of the existing motions was also amended to have the effect that the membership fee would cover all games played by such members (except that independent congresses cannot be compelled to offer a discount to ECF members equivalent to the game fee). The original wording only covered games played under the auspices of the body operating the scheme. It was accepted that it was nonsensical that someone who was an ECF member through a local scheme, who played in leagues in 2 areas, one with a membership scheme & one without, should pay game fee as well as membership; or worse still pay a membership fee twice in cases where both areas operated membership schemes.

I am well aware that there are those who prefer the game fee system and those who prefer the concept of membership. The delegates at the MCCU AGM recognised this in voting for a non-mandatory scheme. The logic in going for an MCCU wide scheme is that players in those counties and leagues where the majority do not want membership, will not be denied the chance to benefit from the cheaper membership that would be available through a Union scheme.

There will be financial benefits to running a scheme, the 2.5% discount for prompt payment provided for in the EFC motion was increased to 10% for those joining & paying within the first month of the membership year, and from nil discount for those joining & paying later in the year, to 5%. That said, the ECF Board is supportive of revisions being made that would provide for a sliding scale of financial incentives, so that those running schemes are in a position where the higher the number of members signed up, the higher the financial rewards. Such a principal could not be incorporated into the motions at the Special meeting, as legal advice was that only limited amendment is allowed in motions at such meetings. How these benefits are distributed would be a matter for discussion, but I am quite clear as CEO that in agreeing to be part of an MCCU wide scheme, no organisation should be placed at a financial disadvantage compared with if they had a direct scheme with the EFC, unless they specifically agree otherwise.

There are clearly a wide range of issues to be dealt with if the MCCU is to enact the wishes of the AGM, not the least of which is that some counties & leagues will have already held their AGM and set their budgets based on paying game fee. This is certainly true of my own association. There is no doubt that a membership scheme produces a shift in where the money is collected. With game fee each event sets its budgets based on a combination of how many games it expects to be played and what other expenses it needs to cover. In the case of leagues, most clubs playing in the league tend to set their own fees based on averaging out the cost of league fees and other expenses between their members. As a result everyone pays the same, irrespective of how many leagues games they actually play.  Those who play county chess may pay a match fee; those who play in congresses have the game fee built into the entry fee.  As a result, players who play in a combination of league, county & congress chess pay game fee through a combination of organisations.

The concept with membership is that your ECF contribution is paid through 1 organisation rather than several and that amount is fixed irrespective of how many other events you play in. A county such as my own, which runs the local league & cup events, and county teams, may be currently paying less than £10 a head (based on the £10 fee adopted for the NMS) in game fee, so there would be an increase in its payment compared to the games fee it pays for league & cup games. However, the amount it pays to the MCCU to cover game fees for county matches would be reduced, and the amount its players pay to play in other events would be reduced.

As an initial step I would like to establish as quickly as possible, which counties & leagues are in principal willing to subscribe to an MCCU scheme. I am in effect looking for a straw poll at this stage. I appreciate that until more detail is produced no one will want to commit themselves.

In addition I am looking for views, issues that people feel should be considered, suggestions for ways of overcoming problem areas. A sub-committee will take matters forward. It would be helpful if each county or independent league could appoint someone to act as their contact, although I will ensure that the MCCU newsgroup & website are used to keep as many people as possible up to date with developments. If anyone is particularly keen to be part of the sub-committee please let me know.

Some of you will be aware that the NMS working party are not happy about the outcome of the special meeting, or about the outcome of the pilot scheme. I would ask you not to let what you may have heard colour your view about an MCCU scheme.

Julie D Johnson

MCCU CEO

Email juliedjohnson@yahoo.com

Tel : 0116 2609012 (not after 9.30pm please)

105 Central Ave Syston Leics LE7 2EG

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