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RCVS and VN Councils elections results

30 April 2014

We are delighted to announce the results of the RCVS Council and VN Council elections, which this year see an even split of new faces elected and existing members reinstated to both Councils.

From left: Neil Smith, David Bartram, David Catlow, Susan Paterson, Jacqui Molyneux and Mandisa Greene

Re-elected to three of the six seats available on RCVS Council are current President Neil Smith (1,687 votes), incoming Standards Committee Chairman David Catlow (1,656) and Vice-President Jacqui Molyneux (1,304); and, from RCVS Day on 11 July 2014, they will be joined by new members David Bartram (1,674), Susan Paterson (1,496) and Mandisa Greene (1,296) - pictured above.

The two available places on VN Council are taken by existing member Hilary Orpet (611 votes) and new member Amber Richards (371) - pictured below.

I’m very much looking forward to working with our three new RCVS Council members and delighted that the profession has returned three existing members to their seats, enabling them to continue their work for the College.

Gordon Hockey, Registrar

Of particular note, following the all-male list of candidates for the 2013 RCVS Council elections and the record number of women standing in 2014, half of the successful RCVS Council candidates this year are women, two of whom being elected for the first time.

Unfortunately, overall turnouts in both elections have fallen, with 4,137 (16.1%) veterinary surgeons and 1,157 (10%) veterinary nurses voting.

These turnouts and voter numbers compare with 4,661 (18.8%) and 1,329 (12.5%) last year, and ten-year averages of 3,927 (17.4%) and 869 (9.9%), respectively.

Commenting on the results, RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey, says: “It was always going to be tough to beat last year’s record turnout, even with a record number of candidates standing this year, but it’s encouraging that voter numbers are still the third highest in the last ten years.

“I’d like to be amongst the first to publicly congratulate all the successful candidates this year, and to encourage those who weren’t successful this time to stand again in the future.

"I’m very much looking forward to working with our three new RCVS Council members whilst, at the same time, delighted that the profession has returned three existing members to their seats, enabling them to continue their work for the College.”

Chair of VN Council, Kathy Kissick, says: “Many congratulations to Hilary, who has been returned to the VN Council for the third time running, and to Amber, who I’m looking forward to welcoming to VN Council in July. Hilary’s experience and Amber’s fresh input will, I’m sure, combine to provide an excellent contribution to our ongoing work.”

From left: Hilary Orpet and Amber Richards

Veterinary surgeons and VNs could cast their votes by post or online, with the former remaining the more popular method.

Online voting increased in 2014, however, with 32% of veterinary voters and 25% of VN voters visiting the new election microsites, compared to 29% and 17%, respectively, voting online in 2013.

The 2014 RCVS and VN Council elections were run on behalf of the RCVS by Electoral Reform Services.

The full results of both elections are as follows:

RCVS Council

Candidate

Number of votes

 

SMITH, Neil Christopher

1,687

Elected

BARTRAM, David James

1,674

Elected

CATLOW, David Frederick

1,656

Elected

PATERSON, Susan

1,496

Elected

MOLYNEUX, Jacqueline Rosina

1,304

Elected

GREENE, Mandisa Onika

1,296

Elected

MACALDOWIE, Susan Jane

1,079

EDWARDS, Camilla Rigmor Haustrup

1,003

RICHARDS, Katherine Anne

988

SHIELD, Christine Fiona

984

FOALKS, Caroline Angela

882

LEICESTER, David James

845

GILLAMS, Edward Mark

806

ROBINSON, Peter Bayley

776

RITCHIE, Janet Margaret

726

OXLEY, Sarah Grace

687

PEARSON, Christopher Michael

674

MOORE, Peter

505

LONSDALE, Thomas

432

Eleven votes in the RCVS Council election were found to be invalid.

Veterinary Nurses Council

Candidate

Number of votes

ORPET, Hilary Anne

611

Elected

RICHARDS, Amber

371

Elected

WHITEHEAD, Megan Angharad

325

FORD, Tammy Louise

286

ERNE, Amanda-Jane

284

No invalid votes were found in the VN Council election.

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