The Royal College has announced the winners of the 2009 RCVS Council and VN Council elections.
This year, a special elections section was set up here on VetSurgeon.org and on VetNurse.co.uk for members to engage directly with candidates in a members forum, or directly using the social networking features on both sites. In the interests of promoting democracy, the sites offered a case of champagne to the voter who started the forum discussion which generated the greatest number of responses. Over the course of the voting period, these sections received over 23,000 page views, 53 questions for candidates, and 650 responses.
Arlo Guthrie, Editor of VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk said: "I think it's great that the candidates agreed to try this. They could have said no, and stuck with the traditional methods of communication (which are more of a known quantity). Instead, they really got stuck in to some interesting and at times lively debate. My sincere thanks to all candidates and congratulations to the winners. And I raise my glass to Phil Elkins, who wins the case of champagne for starting the most active discussion thread, even allowing for the number of times he responded to his own post!"
Voting in the RCVS Council election increased from 17% to 18.2% this year, with 4,041 veterinary surgeons out of a possible 22,201 casting a vote. The results are as follows:
NUTE, Patricia Jill. 2,467 votes. Elected JINMAN, Peter. 2,346 votes. Elected GRAY, Christopher John. 2,230 votes. Elected DAVIES, Jeremy Vincent. 2,229 votes. Elected VINER, Bradley. 2,123 votes. Elected TUFNELL, Christopher Wynne. 2,088 votes. Elected SWAYNE, Nigel. 1,673 votes. McDOWELL, David Michael. 1,394 votes.LONSDALE, Thomas. 389 votes.
The new Council members are Christopher Gray and Christopher Tufnell, who will officially join Council at RCVS Day on 3 July 2009.
The VN Council elections saw a larger increase in voters, with 912 out of a possible 8,108 VNs casting a vote. This was an 11.2% turnout, up by nearly 25% up on last year. The results were as follows:
JEFFERY, Andrea Karen. 604 votes. Elected GLYSEN, Louise. 332 votes. Elected WILLIAMS, Caroline Mary. 312 votes.IVES, Cheryl Diana. 236 votes.
Louse Glysen is the new VN Council Member (again, officially joining at RCVS Day) and Andrea Jeffery will begin her eighth year, having been the Council's chairman for the past four years.
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Increase in votes, although small, very welcome. Hope the forum has had an effect, and there wil be a further increase next year. Congratulations to the winners, and commiserations to the losers
Wynne
Dear Arlo,
Although the overall increase in voters is modest the increase in the number of votes cast by each members is very significant. for example Chris Tuffnel's vote would in virtually every year in the past have got him at least 2nd place if not first - this year he was sixth. In the previous elections any vote over 1400 was sufficient to secure election.
I think the fact that each voter voted for more candidates might be down to the fact that they felt that they knew more about them. If there were 23,000 page views this might explain why overall people wanted to use more of their six votes.
Richard Stephenson.
This year 389 out of a possible 22,201 RCVS Members recorded their dismay ‘that our profession is not merely swayed but bent, twisted and controlled by junk pet-food makers’. As a result of discussions on this forum, more information was placed on the record for the electorate, the RCVS President and other RCVS dignitaries than ever before.
Roger Meacock, on the Raw Diet Forum, does a terrific job setting out basic scientific principles as well as helping members understand the malfeasance of a healing profession in bed with junk pet-food makers.
To Roger and Alan Bennet who again nominated me in this thirteenth year of standing, I salute you. To each and every one of the 389, I say a sincere thank you.
To the successful candidates, I wish you well in your deliberations and trust that you are now better briefed on the scientific, political and legal implications of the pet-food fraud.
For all of us, Mark Twain’s advice rings true: ‘Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.’
Best wishes,
Tom Lonsdale