VN Council elections 2006 underway

Candidate manifestos and ballot papers have been sent to all Listed veterinary nurses this week as the VN Council elections for 2006 get underway.

If you are a Listed VN, now is the time to decide who will be the best representatives for the veterinary nursing profession at the RCVS and you certainly have a wide choice this year.

A record number of seven candidates are standing for election which is a very encouraging improvement on recent years and reflects the importance of the VN Council's activities on the VN profession.

The candidates represent the VN profession in its broadest sense, ranging from the relatively newly-qualified to the most experienced, in clinical practice and from the world of education and training.

They have all provided statements setting out their reasons for standing for election to help you decide whether their aspirations and qualities will make them a good representative of the profession. (These will also be available online shortly.)

Once again, to make the voting process as straightforward and accessible as possible, you may vote online or by freephone 0800 081 0201 using the two security codes printed on the ballot papers. Voting by post remains an alternative option for those who prefer more traditional methods.

The two candidates who receive the highest number of votes will be elected to sit on VN Council for four years; the third-place candidate will sit for one year to replace a current member who is retiring early. The deadline for voting is 5pm on Wednesday 10 May 2006.

The new edition of RCVS Veterinary News has also been sent to all Listed veterinary nurses, training practices and assessment centres this week.