Notts Chief Executive Derek Brewer is helping tackle bureaucracy in cricket after being appointed to a new task force by the ECB.
 
The ECB have launched a Bureaucracy Task Force to investigate ways of tackling the ever-growing amount of paperwork and bureaucracy currently plaguing cricket at all levels.
 
The task force was proposed by ECB chairman Giles Clarke in line with the recommendations of David Collier, ECB chief executive, in the ECB Strategic Plan; Building Partnerships launched in Spring 2005 to reduce paperwork and streamline bureaucracy.
 
The ECB have identified three key areas of investigation by the task force. These are:
a) Government inspired bureaucracy particularly in the area of funding and the recreational game
b) ECB bureaucracy
c) Bureaucracy generated by other sectors of the game.
 
Nigel Hilliard, the Essex chairman and ECB board member, will chair the task force and he will be aided by Ian Lovett, the Middlesex chairman, Brewer and Richard Gould, Somerset’s chief executive.

The Recreational Assembly will be represented by Richard Newton of Cheshire and Yorkshire’s Ian Chappell. Chris Hoad, ECB’s Head of IT, will play a key role on the group while Janet Fisher will provide secretarial and information support.
 
Mr Clarke said: “I am delighted that the task force, led by Nigel Hilliard, a man of great energy who has no time for bureaucratic nonsense, will be advised by someone of the calibre of Sir George Sweeney, the Principal of Knowsley College in Merseyside.
 
“Sir George chaired the highly successful Bureaucratic Task Force investigating the Further Education sector, on which I sat, which resulted in major savings in both money and time in Further Education and also removed many of the unnecessary Government forms.
 
“In the ECB’s Building Partnerships strategic plan, crafted by David Collier, there was a clear commitment to tackle the issue of paperwork and bureaucracy so I am pleased that we have been able to launch this task force with so many capable and dedicated members.

“They will conduct a thorough fact finding mission before delivering their recommendations for executive action.”
 
The task force will hold its first meeting very shortly and recommendations are expected next year.