As the discussions recently held on TMO show, though, this isn't a case of "we'll have a discussion on one thread and a list for testers and then fundamentally change the way Extras works".

It's a non-trivial problem; orphaned packages need a solution but questions around maintainership and support need to be addressed.

The takeover of orphaned packages by a new maintainer is a related, but simpler, problem.

And before X-Fade can do the work, a proposal needs to be discussed outside of the testers group and the feelings of developers sanctioned. Also things like processes for when it's appropriate to takeover, and how attempts will be made to the original maintainer. For example, just because I go on holiday for two weeks doesn't mean anyone should be able to convince the Council to give them maintainership.

All this work also needs prioritising, see my comments above about a backlog. If there're no processes people can't complain that $RANDOM_REQUEST_ON_IRC isn't finished by $RANDOM_TIME_NO_ONE_AGREED_TO.