Following the success of the 2014 UK Open the current UKBGF board feel that the time is right to move to a 100% elected federation. We want the UKBGF to be fully democratic and to be owned by and represented by its members. The new UKBGF Board will decide the future direction of the organisation, membership criteria, dues and all other aspects of the UKBGF. We are proposing the following process and timetable…
Proposed Process
6th October to 19th October: Feedback on the proposed voting process.
19th – 28th October: Voting process finalised in light of comments received.
29th October: Final process emailed to mailing lists and posted online.
29th October to 9th November: Self-nominations submitted.
14th November to 14th December: Voting.
15th December: Voting Closes. Results announced.
We currently propose that anyone may self-nominate to be a member of the board.
To nominate yourself you need to submit answers to the following 5 questions (each answer may be no longer than 500 words).
- Why do you want to stand for the board of the UKBGF?
- How much time will you devote to the UKBGF over the next year?
- What are your plans for the UKBGF over the next year?
- Why should people vote for you?
- Any other comments that you feel relevant.
Nominees should email their answers to contact@ukbgf.com by midnight on the 9th November along with their full name, address, a contact phone number and a good quality digital photo.
All nominations received will be published on ukbgf.com by mid-November so that voters have an opportunity to read your answers before deciding who to vote for.
Voters will vote via the UKBGF website. To be eligible to vote you must have played backgammon live in the UK over the past 18 months. You will also need to submit your full name, address, telephone number and email for verification purposes and to ensure probity.
Voters will be asked to vote for five candidates ranking them from 1st choice to 5th choice.
Candidates will receive 5 points for being a 1st choice through to 1 point for being a 5th choice.
The five candidates with the most points will be elected to the board.
The board will elect their Chair and vice-Chair.
The board will sit for 1 year and then must go to the membership for further elections.
End of Proposed Process
If you have any comments or questions about the proposed process please email them to contact@ukbgf.com by 19th October. Alternatively you may of course make a public comment on this post.
The final process (modified in light of any comments received) will be published on the 29th October.
– The current UKBGF Team
Thank you Sean. A few questions.
Could we know who the current UKBGF team are?
Could you clarify what “played live in the UK” actually means?
There is no mention of Internet players, but they are players nonetheless and if they are UK citizens or resident in the UK, shouldn’t we include them?
Should there be a nationality or a residence requirement?
Should there be a separate category of non-national or non-residential players?
Could I apply for the position of UKBGF pedant-in-residence?
Usual regards! Paul
Paul,
Thank you for your questions!
1) The current team is Peter Bennet, Raj Jansari, John Wright, Ian Tarr and myself. I suspect that no more than 2 of the current team will be standing for election although it could be 3.
2) ‘Played live in the UK’ means played live in the UK! If you believe there is ambiguity then please identify it and propose a solution.
3) Are you proposing that internet-only players be eligible to vote? If so please say so and we can consider this opinion.
4) If you think there should be a nationality or residence requirement then please suggest one and this can be considered.
5) If you think that there should be a separate category then please propose one and this can be considered. Please bear in mind that this is not ‘membership’ criteria it is ‘voting’ criteria. It will be for the new board to determine membership criteria.
6) There are quite a few people with a claim on that title!
“Played live” could mean that I have played two games with my Aunty Dolly on the back of her chess board. I expect that you mean somebody who plays in clubs and/or tournaments but perhaps you should make it clear.
Yes I certainly think that people who play mostly or even exclusively online should be eligible. That would then include people who live abroad, people who can’t get out because of a disability, people who don’t have anybody to play with locally etc. An Internet bg player is a player and should have a voice.
My personal view is that membership of the UK Federation should be for UK players, that is those who hold a UK passport or reside permanently in the UK. I realise that you are dealing initially with voting criteria, but it would be odd to allow somebody to vote and then say that they couldn’t be a member, so it ought to be considered at this stage. Can Mochy, or Brendan or Carter vote? Just saying, I don’t feel strongly about it either way.
I agree with Paul’s Comments but can understand the need for an appreciation of the live circuit which is the primary aim as I see it. Provided that the role of the board member does not include TD duties, and is mostly organizationally related, then perhaps the positions could be open to any BG enthusiasts/contributors who do not currently play live provided they have previously had some significant experience of live backgammon tournament play in the UK or anywhere in the World. I would suggest maybe 3 years experience as a minimum. Excluding this possibility may appear to be somewhat discriminatory and exclusive, not properly open to the need for diversification.