It cannot have escaped your notice but there is some sort of football tournament going on, so it only seems fitting to start with a football mediation story.

There’s been an ongoing dispute brought by players at Bolton Wanderers with owner Ken Anderson and his advisor Paul Aldridge over unpaid bonus and in some instances pay.

The Professional Football Association has now stepped in to act as mediator, before more matches are cancelled as happened this weekend against Milnrow.

The Wanderers Supporters Trust has also asked for talks with Anderson regarding the footballers’ pay and the cancelled match and ongoing problems are likely to be discussed at the forthcoming AGM.

The PFA stepping in as mediator is evidence of how serious cancellations and possible disputes with players are now taken, which no doubt has something to do with the significant pay that footballers now expect….gone are the glory days of jumpers for goalposts etc

(and I was rocking the waistcoat look long before Southgate)

In other big earner news (the insurance industry this time) the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) who is empowered to deal with disagreements between the national competent insurance authorities.

Has set out what it determined was the correct interpretation of insurance class for "statutory risks" in France, which cover civil servants’ loss of earnings in sickness, maternity, injury or death.

The panel concluded that the nature of the risk would determine the class of insurance irrespective of the legal form of the policy.

A practical resolve on the part of the panel.

In technical terms in France a class 1 insurance risk is accident and class 2 is sickness, the Central Bank of Ireland and Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de resolution who oversaw the mediation agreed with the conclusions.

In media news Judge Kevin Elsenheimer has ordered Boston Light & Sound and The Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF) to attend mediation in their argument over alleged unpaid bills from 2017’s festival.

Boston Light & Sound are pursuing the festival in a claim for $256,500 for failing to cover a contract over the provision of PA equipment, consulting services and labour for the event.

Of the original sum Boston Light & Sound argue there remains over $150,000 unpaid which is due to them saying that "TCFF does not dispute the contract balance - TCFF has simply failed and refused to make payments….[rather than] paying the contract balance, or any part thereof, in response to demand letters, TCFF attempted to avoid fulfilling its contractual obligation and the debt incurred by threatening to distribute false and defamatory stories to harm Boston Light & Sound's good name and business relationships."

The Claimant goes on to say it has no interest in wishing "to malign the Traverse City Film Festival, with which it has worked and supported for 13 years…..financial problems do not excuse it from the debt owed"

The founder of TCFF is film maker and Oscar winner (Bowling for Columbine) Michael Moore who has always maintained that the 2017 festival operated at a loss.

The festival’s lawyers Dingeman & Dancer PLC argue that TCFF has "legitimate defenses, questions of fact, and counterclaims regarding each of the allegations" and are attempting "to bombard TCFF with litigation at its busiest time of the year when board members and other persons of knowledge of the issues in litigation are literally finishing the plans, construction, and installation of the festival."

Rather than grant a formal extension to TCFF the judge agreed with the lawyers for both sides that the hearing be adjourned for the parties to attend mediation.

And finally in royal mediation news (not an actual photo of the king!).

Over in Uganda the High Court in the district of Mbarara has order further attempts be made at mediation in the case against “King” of the Ankole Umar Asiimwe Rubambansi.

The previous attempt in June couldn’t proceed as only one side turned up, the complainant Phillip Musiime failed to show in his case which is against the “King” and seeks to stop further royal activities.

Such activities in the last few years have included running a palace in Rwampara county at Itaaba, where his majesty has entertained guests paying homage (and perhaps cash) to him.

Musiime says that the rightful crown prince is the now deceased son of Rwebishengye, John Barigye.

Suwaya Matovu a local arbitrator has been asked to step in to mediate the issue between he parties and now expects to hold a round table mediation with both sides in the near future.

Northwest Mediation can help with any dispute whether it's an employment issue or the sale at an under value of a property, a fight with a neighbour, family issues, commercial disputes or inheritance arguments contact Northwest Mediation on 07931318347 or via email at ed.johnson@northwestmediation.co.uk

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