2025 AGM Minutes
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Milton Keynes Chess Club held on 4th sept 2025 in the Berrill Café at 7:47pm.
- In the Chair
- James Alexander
- Present members
- James Alexandre, Simon Banisi, Sumin Bhalla, Adrew Bowler, John Chandler, Guilherme De Rezende, Adrian Elwin, Thomas Evans, Alan Heath, Olajide Mabogunue, John McKeon, John Macnamara, Eric Meichel, Mark Osborn, Michael Page, Dave Phillips, Graham Smith, Colin Solloway, Eoin Tweedale, George Ward, Dominic Watson, Steven Wayne, Dave Wells, Rob Whitside.
1) Apologies for Absence
Peter Hawes
2) Welcome
Welcome to all the members to the club
3) Minutes of the AGM held 4th Sept, 2025
Proposed Alan Heath
Seconded Dave Phillips
Accepted by All
4) Secretary’s Report
A quiet year with no problems.
5) Treasurers Report
Milton Keynes Chess Club – Treasurers report for the year ended 31 August, 2025
2024/25 saw a net increase in membership. We started the year with 55 (2024 - 63) paid up members although 16 (2024- 24) of those did not renew. 18 (2024 - 16) new members joined during the year so the final tally was 57. (43 Normal and 14 Concessions) generating fees of £785. Compared to 2023/24 this was an increase of £70 or 10%. (2024 - 33 Normal, 22 Concessions, Fees £715). Historically, last year’s membership total of 57 was the second highest it has been since I have been Treasurer. (2022/23 - 63)
Please note that all subs expire at this meeting even those of you that joined during the year.
In addition to being a paid up member of MKCC anyone who wishes to play for the club in the Beds League or in the internal competitions will have to be a member of the ECF. Please note that it is each individual member’s responsibility to ensure that their details are published on the ECF list of members. If your name is not there for any reason you are not eligible to play in the above games. As many subscriptions were due for renewal on 1 September, please ensure that you are up to date with the ECF as well as with the Club.
Santander have informed us that they will start charging a £5 monthly account fee from 1st October. We are currently looking into moving our account to the Metro Bank, which does offer free banking to clubs, but will maintain the Santander account for now so please continue to use the existing details when paying your subs for the new season. We will notify the membership as soon as the new account has been activated.
A motion was made for the treasurer to approach Metro bank. And was carried.
Total expenditure in the year was £339.70.
600 scoresheets were purchased for £26.95. (4.49p per sheet)
We entered 4 teams in the Beds League @ £15 per team.
Insurance costs of £162.32 is for cover of £1m public liability. The previous year figure of £198.72 included cover for digital clocks of £36.40 which we have not renewed.
We were not charged for hosting the Club’s website this year. Ask DW or MP to explain.
Recommended to keep subs at £15 for members and £10 concessions – passed
No National tournaments were entered last year.
The Christmas tournament costs were for the standard prizes.
An inventory of the Club’s equipment was carried out on the 28th of August and I am happy to report that all items were accounted for. As the Club has adequate kit I do not propose to purchase any new items in the coming season. Most of the mechanical clocks, and the two cases, were donated to Baird to assist his work in promoting the game in schools. Baird made a voluntary donation of £20.00 to the Club which is shown as Other Income.
The Club enjoyed a surplus of £465.30 in the year. I estimate that we have more than 4 years’ worth of expenditure in reserves. The current subscriptions is £15.00 normal and £10 for concessions. Given the state of the Club’s finances I propose that we leave the rates unchanged for 2025/26.
Alan Heath (Treasurer) 04/09/2025
6) Internal Competitions Report
The Club Championship was won by Eoin Tweedale with 5 out of 6 with Adrian Elwin and Graham Smith 2nd on 4.
The Open Swiss was won by Andrew Bowler with 5 points ahead of Adrian Elwin, Dominic Bartram, Rob Whiteside and Alan Heath on 3½.
The Open Knockout was won by Eoin Tweedale who beat Andrew Bowler in the final.
The Open Knockout Plate was won by Rob Whiteside who beat Alan Heath in the final.
The Under1800 Swiss was won by George Ward with a perfect 5, with Dominic Watson in second on 4.
The Under 1800 Knockout was won by George Ward who beat Giuseppe Spigapiena in the final.
The Under 1800 Knockout Plate was won by Dave Phillips who beat Dominic Watson in the final.
I do not have the results of the latest Blitz competition
7) Safeguarding Report
Nothing to report
8) Beds league Captains report for 2024/25 season
Milton Keynes A 2024-25
Milton Keynes A pipped Leighton Buzzard to 2nd place in division 1 by half a game point, winning 5, drawing 2 and losing 3, scoring 30½ game points.
We used a squad of 7 players this season, all players missing at least 1 game. Of these players, all except 1 scored over 50% with only board 2 failing to do so. Top scorer was Eric with 6 out of 8 followed by Rob with 5½ out of 8.
B team
Won division 2
C team
Came 6th with 10 points
O.U. team
Came 3rd Level on points with Bedford c (2nd) but came 3rd on board count.
9) Election Of Officers
- (a) Chairman
- James Alexander
- (b) Secretary
- George Ward
- (c) Treasurer
- Alan Heath
- (d) Tournament Secretary
- Adrian Elwin
- (e) Safeguarding Officer
- Baird McClellan
- (f) Deputy Safeguarding Officer
- Dominic Bartram
10) Team captains
- A
- Adrian Elwin
- B
- Sumit Bhalla
- C
- Colin Solloway
- D
- Dominic Watson
- D. O. U.
- James Alexander
A.O.B.
Keyholders at 7 was deemed ok.
Cordon Trophy to be held on the 25th September
Rule changes
Rule 11 carried
Rule 12 carried
Next meeting 3rd sept 2026
Meeting closed at 9:10