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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Purpose

• The purpose of the User Pays User Committee (the
  Committee) is to discuss implementation,
  amendment or removal of non-code User Pays
  services and to provide an opportunity for
  members to discuss any issues that relate to the
  operation of the user pays services.  The group
  will make decisions on changes to the non-code
  User Pays services contract.
• The Chairman will be appointed by the User Pays
  User Committee (the Committee) until either the
  Committee dismisses the Chairman or the Chairman
  resigns.  The Chairman is required to operate as
  an independent party and cannot represent any
  member views.
• NB. We are happy for the joint office to act as
  chair as they perform this task reasonably well
  for other fora

Chairman
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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Membership
Groups

• Open to all signatories of the xoserve User Pays
  Contract.
• There is an issue here if the DNOs do not sign
  the User Pays Contract. Signatories to the ASA
  is not sufficient, its a different contract with
  different SLAs and T Cs.
• The ASA Contract can always reference the User
  Pays Contract and over right clauses as
  appropriate. e.g. Conflict In the event of any
  conflict between the provisions of this Contract
  and those of the User Pays Contract, the
  provisions of this Contract shall prevail over
  the User Pays Contract.. 

• When joining the Committee all members must
  advise the Chairman what the main interest is of
  their company (wording here to make clear that
  company refers to group level interest) from the
  groups defined below.
• Groups
• Members must define themselves as one of the
  following
• Mainly focused as a domestic supplier/shipper
• Mainly focused as an non-domestic
  supplier/shipper
• Mainly focused as a transporter
• Mainly focused as an end user

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Voting Low Bar

• For Logic would suggest that as changes to
  service lines will be paid for by the users of
  the altered service that significant changes
  would be considered carefully prior to
  implementation.  If a small majority of service
  users want a change it could be argued therefore
  that a change should be made.  This would also
  keep the voting process simple.
• Against A substantial number of users may be
  opposed to a change and may not be able to stop
  it from being implemented.  As some of these
  services are monopolistic this seems unfair.

Voting High Bar

• For As some of these services are monopolistic
  this would ensure that parties are not unfairly
  discriminated against.
• Against This could become a blocker to
  progress of changes which are beneficial to the
  majority of users.

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Quoracy and Notice

• Normal
• The meeting will only be quorate if there are at
  least four members present with at least two
  of the groups represented.  Members must be given
  at least five business days notice of a User
  Pays User Committee meeting. 
• If ultimately without transporters there will be
  32 signatories is four a small number for
  quoracy?

• Urgent
• In the event that an urgent meeting is required
  of the User Pays User Committee then the urgent
  meeting will only be quorate if there are at
  least six members present with at least three
  of the groups represented.  Members must be given
  at least twenty four hours notice of an urgent
  User Pays User Committee meeting.

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
General Voting Structure

• For votes that do not relate to a change to the
  implementation, amendment or removal of non-code
  User Pays services then the voting mechanism
  shall be as follows
• Votes may be conducted only on subjects
  pre-notified to users through agenda items
  published a minimum of four days prior to a
  User Pays User Committee or on resolutions
  pre-defined and notified to members at least
  twenty four hours prior to a meeting. 

• Any member may call for a vote on any matter that
  relates to the purpose or running of the
  Committee by indicating this to the Chairman
  during a meeting of the committee.  The member
  must define the resolution to be voted upon.
  Another member must then second the call for
  the vote by indicating their agreement to the
  Chairman. 
• The committee will then vote on the issue.  The
  resolution will pass only where the majority of
  members vote for the resolution.  In any event a
  resolution will pass only where at least three
  members vote in favour of the resolution.

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Constituency Voting Structure

• For votes that relate to a change to the
  implementation, amendment or removal of non-code
  User Pays services then the voting mechanism
  shall be as follows
• Votes may be conducted only on subjects and
  resolutions pre-notified to users through agenda
  items published a minimum of five days prior to
  a User Pays User Committee. Where an urgent
  meeting has been called then voting may be
  conducted only on resolutions pre-defined and
  notified to members at least twenty four hours
  prior to the meeting. 

• Any member may call for a vote on any matter that
  relates to the purpose or running of the
  Committee by indicating this to the Chairman
  during a meeting of the committee.  The member
  must define the resolution to be voted upon.
  Another member must then second the call for
  the vote by indicating their agreement to the
  Chairman. 
• Members will then declare their interest in the
  vote.  Members may only vote on resolutions or
  subjects they declare an interest in.
• Members may be challenged to explain their
  interest in a vote by the Chairman.

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Constituency Voting Structure (part 2)

• The Chairman will ask each Group represented at
  the meeting that has a member that has declared
  an interest to vote on the resolution.  A Group
  will be considered to be in favour of a
  resolution where the majority of members in that
  group vote in favour.
• The resolution will pass only where the majority
  of Groups vote for the resolution.  In any event
  a resolution will pass only where at least two
  members vote in favour of the resolution.

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Reporting

• The Chairman is required to
• i) publish an agenda (for a normal meeting this
  will be published a minimum of 5 4 days prior to
  the meeting and for an urgent meeting this will
  be published a minimum of 24 hours prior to the
  meeting) and keep a record for each meeting
• ii) send a copy of each agenda to all members and
  to Ofgem
• iii) ensure that copies of the minutes from each
  meeting are provided to all members and to Ofgem
  and published on xoserve/joint office website. 
  Minutes must be provided no less than 5 business
  days following a meeting

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Frequency

• Meeting shall be scheduled on a bi-monthly basis
  starting each January.
• 10 Business Days prior to each meeting the
  Chairman will invite members to propose agenda
  items.  
• The chairman will review the proposed agenda
  items and shall have the right to reject any
  items considered outside these terms of
  reference.  
• The chairman will also review the number of
  proposed agenda items and will have the authority
  to cancel any meeting deemed to have insufficient
  business.

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Strawman Proposal User Pays User Group
Other Issues

• Definitions
• E.g. Members
• How is Group level defined
• Principles
• Standing Tasks
• No go areas
• Indemnities for Chair?