Five new members elected to RCVS Council
The new councillors will take up their positions on 7 July 2017 during RCVS Day.
RCVS president Chris Tufnell has been re-elected for another term on RCVS Council, alongside five new councillors who will take up their seats for the first time in July.
In order of votes, the five new members are: Caroline Allen (3,073 votes), Sarah Brown (2,799 votes), Danny Chambers (2,634 votes), Cheryl Scudamore (2,087 votes) and Martin Peaty (1,909 votes). Chris Tufnell received 2,430 votes.
In the VN Council elections, existing member Andrea Jeffrey was re-elected with 1,293 votes, while new member Susan Howarth was elected with 1,064 votes.
Turnout for the 2017 elections reached a record high, according to the RCVS, with 22.8 per cent of eligible veterinary surgeons voting, compared to 15.6 per cent last year. For veterinary nurses, 14.5 per cent voted, compared to 10.9 per cent last year. Prior to this, the highest turnout had been 18.8 per cent of veterinary surgeons and 12.8 per cent of veterinary nurses.
RCVS registrar Eleanor Ferguson welcomed these increases but said “we recognise that it is still a relatively small proportion of the profession,” so efforts to engage the profession will continue.
Ms Ferguson congratulated the new candidates and thanked Jerry Davies, Peter Jinman and Bradley Viner who are standing down from council this year after choosing not to seek re-election. RCVS councillors Chris Gray and Tom Witte, and VN councillor Marie Rippingale, who all stood for re-election this year, were also thanked for their contributions to the councils.
The new councillors will take up their positions on 7 July 2017 during RCVS Day, the college’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Day.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
