College councils in candidate call

Vets and RVNs who want to play a role in shaping the future of their professions can consider standing for RCVS council and RCVS VN council.

Three elected veterinary surgeon places will be available on RCVS council and two veterinary nurse places on the college’s VN council, with elections to both slated to take place in the spring.

Closing date

Nominations are being welcomed now, with anyone interested encouraged to complete a nomination form, submit a short biography and personal statement, and supply a high-resolution digital photo before 5pm on Friday 31 January.

Each candidate will need to have two nominators, and for RCVS council candidates these should be veterinary surgeons on the RCVS register, but not already on the council. VN council candidate nominators must be RVNs not already on VN council.

It is hoped a number of VNs will put themselves forward for election in 2020, as elections did not take place this year or in 2018. The two candidates in 2019 were appointed without election, while governance changes meant no election was held last year.

Composition

Following reforms granted ministerial approval in 2018 to reduce council numbers, polls in 2019, 2020 and 2021 will elect three vets rather than six. Each successful candidate will sit for four years, while elected VNs will join their council for a three-year term.

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS registrar and returning officer for both elections, said: ”As always, we would encourage those who are interested in having their say in some of the key debates in the regulatory sphere, such as our under care review, our policies around the impact of Brexit and our vision for new veterinary legislation, to become a candidate.”

Election period

The election period starts mid-March and runs until 5pm on Friday 24 April 2020. Ballot papers and emails with a secure link to a unique voting website will be sent to all registered veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses eligible to vote.

The college will source questions from members of the professions to put to the candidates, who will be asked to produce a video giving their responses to two questions of their choice. These videos will be published at the start of the election.