Voting opens for new BVA Council regional reps
Members can begin voting this week as elections get underway for new BVA Council members. Eight new representatives will join the Council in April adding their voices to the debate on key veterinary issues.
Over the next six weeks voting will take place in four regions: London, Wales, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber. Where there is only a single candidate standing they will be elected unopposed. The remaining four regions (Scotland, South-East, South-West, and East of England) will be up for election in 2015 to allow for a level of continuity on the Council.
BVA Council represents all members and is the key debating chamber within the organisation. Winning candidates will take up their role at the meeting on 16 April 2014 and serve for three years. Regional representatives are eligible to serve for two consecutive terms of three years.
BVA President Robin Hargreaves said:
“Council is the key policy-making body at BVA and this year will see us tackle a number of significant veterinary topics, which we know are of utmost importance to our members. Our regional representatives play a vital role in ensuring that every member has the ability to feed in their views and ideas on issues such as welfare at slaughter, bovine TB, pet travel and new regulations on veterinary medicines.
"We are delighted to have such a strong group of candidates keen to represent our members across the UK. You can get to know them better by visiting the regional forums to share your questions and opinions on issues in your area. I would encourage as many of you as possible to get involved in the selection of the candidate you would most like to see represent you at Council.”
All candidates are listed below. Their manifestos are available at http://www.bva.co.uk/about_us/BVA_Council.aspx.
East Midlands
James Russell
London
Stephen Barabas
Eleanor Brown
North East
Douglas Palmer
North West
Vacant
Northern Ireland
Seamus O'Kane
Wales
Ifan Lloyd
Tim Mainland
West Midlands
Alison Anderson
Adi Nell
Yorkshire and Humber
Brendan Clarke
Suzanne Moyes
The elections are being run by the independent Electoral Reform Service (ERS). Members in a region where a vote is taking place you will shortly receive a postal ballot paper along with instructions for voting online. If the region is uncontested members will receive a report from ERS confirming that.
Members can email any questions about the elections to council@bva.co.uk or call 020 7908 6355.
