Results for the 2010 RCVS Council elections have been released today and, following a slight increase in turnout for the second year running, four existing Council Members and one former Member have been returned for another four years. However, new to Council this year and securing the most votes was Preston-based veterinary practitioner David Catlow.
4,232 veterinary surgeons out of a possible 22,541 cast their votes this year, an increase of 0.6% from 18.2% in 2009. The results of the voting are as follows:
CATLOW, David Frederick. 2,383. Elected. TAPSFIELD-WRIGHT. Clare Joan. 2,352. Elected.SHIELD, Christine Fiona. 2,133. Elected.MOLYNEUX, Jacqueline Rosina. 2,111. Elected.SMITH, Neil Christopher. 2,089. Elected.PARTRIDGE, Robert Duncan. 1,971. Elected.NELL, Adi. 1,781. ANDERSON, Roy Paxton. 1,455. GODDARD, Philip Campbell. 1,385. LONSDALE, Thomas, 380.
Terms of office for the six successful candidates will (re)commence at RCVS Day on 2 July 2010.
Following a successful partnership last year, the RCVS again teamed up with this website to allow voters more opportunity to quiz the candidates directly and find out more about their views.
Once again, this seemed to prove popular with the electorate although it presented candidates with a large increase in their workload during the voting period. Page views in the election section rose 23% to 28,347 this year; 48 discussion threads were started (slightly down from 53) and total responses rose dramatically by 47% to 988.
A new incentive for members to vote this year was a pledge to donate 20p per voter to the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal. A donation of just over £845 will therefore be made shortly.
RCVS Registrar Jane Hern said: "An increase in turnout, if only a small one, is to be welcomed and I hope we can continue to increase members' interest in the composition and activities of RCVS Council. I'd like to thank all ten candidates who stood for election this year; my congratulations to those elected and my commiserations to those who weren't successful this time."
Note: there was no VN Council election this year as only two nominations were received for the two available places. These will be filled by Suzanne May RVN and Hilary Orpet RVN.
PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vets.
Arlo,
As I said privately to you earlier, the candidates whether elected or not are to be commended for the way that they have come forward and answered our questions but you too deserve credit for setting up this forum and for your hard work in keeping it running. For someone like me, overseas and out of touch, it has overcome delays in the mail and has been a boon in helping my decisions.
Thanks. Good work!
Tim.
Hi Tim,
I feel like a bit of a fraud, because all this hard work isn't entirely driven by altruism!
Still, thank you SO much both for your email and this comment. An awful lot of effort goes into all this, and honestly, I find that kind of comment more rewarding than anything I earn from the site.
Thanks again.
Arlo
Hi Arlo, I wonder if there is any merit in having the RCVS forum as an archive, so nothing can be added, but an easily checked record will exist on candidates intentions etc. Perhaps it already does but I haven't found it! Well done anyway, I know it is very demanding on candidates time, but the page views bear little relation to the relatively few questioners, & the comment above is telling. Cheers, Jill
Hi Jill,
Yes, the forum is archived at the end of each year. If you look back over the old posts, you'll should see the ones from last year, which are locked (ie you can't post on them any more). I'll be locking this year's shortly.
I think I annoyed several candidates, both by the volume of my questions, and by the fact that I wouldn't let anyone get away with evasive answers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I, do think it's vitally important that RCVS remains self-governing by a majority of elected veterinary surgeons, and that Councillors have the authority which can only come from an endorsement by a substantial number of our profession, so I hope I will be forgiven !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wynne