2020 Election Report Status - Royal United Hospitals Bath

Author: Roxy Milbourne, Deputy Head of Corporate Governance Document Approved by: Roxy Milbourne, Deputy Head of Corporate Governance

Date: 15 January 2021 Version:1.0

Agenda Item: 10 Page 1 of 4

Title of Report: 2020 Election Report

Status: For Information Sponsor: Roxy Milbourne, Deputy Head of Corporate Governance Author: Roxy Milbourne, Deputy Head of Corporate Governance

Appendices Appendix 1: UK Engage Public Governor election report Appendix 2: UK Engage Staff Governor election report

Purpose To provide the Council of Governors with an update following the Governor elections in 2020. The 2020 elections took place between 27 August to 30 October 2020 with the aim of electing three Staff Governors, and seven Public Governors across all of our public constituencies. This was the fourth constituency-wide election for new Governors since becoming an NHS Foundation Trust hospital in 2014. 2020 Governor Election The process to elect new Governors began on 27 August 2020. UK Engage acted as the Trust’s Returning Officer, and all election material was distributed and received by them. All eligible members within the following constituencies were eligible to put themselves forward to become a Governor:

• City of Bath • North East Somerset • Mendip • North Wiltshire • South Wiltshire • Rest of England and Wales • Staff

Promotion of the Election As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, elections were put on hold nationally to enable the Trust to focus on core services. In August, we were given to go ahead to resume the election process. As this was much closer to the end of Governor terms of office, there was a limited timeframe in which we could promote the elections. In addition to this, we were limited to promoting the role of a Governor online and via telephone to members.

Report to: Council of Governors Agenda item: 10 Date of Meeting: 18 January 2021




Key activities included: • Newly branded information guides about becoming a governor were created

for sharing with all interested public and staff members. • Regular contact was made with all members who had expressed an interest. • The Communications Department supported the election process by

updating and sending press releases focused to the community areas and also utilising social media platforms.

• The RUH website was updated throughout the process. • The Membership Office informed local community groups, Parish Councils

and GP Patient Participation Groups by email for them to share the information with their audience.

• The RUH staff platform, Workplace was used throughout the elections to encourage staff to put themselves forward and to vote for the candidates

• Nominations and elections were promoted in the member’s newsletter and in the Insight magazines for all members.

• Nominations and elections were promoted by the Chief Executive and Executive Directors in their videos and online and written briefings to staff

The election process followed a 57 day timetable. Below is a summary of the key figures during this process.

• 18 members (and the public) requested the Trust’s Public Governor Information booklet directly via the Membership Office following an email to all members about the election. This figure was 39 during the last election as there was more time to promote the election before it began.

• 52 members requested or began a nomination via UK Engage. The

Governor Guide was also accessible directly via the nomination website. This figure was 39 in 2019.

• Of those members, 7 candidates withdrew their applications or were not

eligible to stand, 16 members did not complete their nominations form and 29 returned and submitted their nomination forms.

• The 29 potential candidates were split as follows: o City of Bath – 7 o North East Somerset – 3 o Mendip – 1 o North Wiltshire – 7 o South Wiltshire – 3 o Rest of England and Wales - 1 o Staff - 7

• During this election, candidates signed up approximately 11 members to

support their election campaigns. This figure was up on last year’s zero, but down on the 2017 figure of 85.




• For the first time since becoming a Foundation Trust, the following constituencies were uncontested despite the Membership Office contacting a large number of members within these constituencies who had previously expressed an interest in becoming Governors:

o Mendip o Rest of England and Wales

• 8,465 public members were eligible to vote (all constituencies minus Mendip

& Rest of England and Wales).

• 5,671 staff members were eligible to vote.

• 966 of 8,465 public members voted = 11.41% of the public membership, split by constituency is as follows:

Constituency 2020 results 2019 results City of Bath 422 / 2,478 = 17.03% 388 / 2,486 = 15.61% North East Somerset 286 / 1,936 = 14.77% 259 / 1,964 = 13.19% Mendip Uncontested 175 / 1,276 = 13.79% North Wiltshire 225 / 1,745 = 12.89% 228 / 1,752 = 13.01% South Wiltshire 337 / 2,306 = 14.61% 318 / 2,335 = 13.62% Rest of England and Wales Uncontested No election Staff 765 / 5,691 = 13.49% 924 / 5,397 = 17.12% • Staff voting turnout was 3.63% down on the election run in 2019.

• Although public turnout was down on 2019, UK Engage have confirmed that

the average turnout across the NHS has been as low as 1% averaging between 5-7%.

• During the election, 29 members cancelled their Trust membership as a

result of receiving the election material which is an increase in comparison to the 12 members who cancelled their Trust membership during the 2019 elections.

• A number of postal items were returned to the Trust as undeliverable, so we lost a further 97 members who we could not relocate.

• The successful candidates were elected to the RUH’s Council of Governors and began their term on 2nd November 2020:

o Nesta Collingridge-Padbury – City of Bath o Suzanne Harris – North East Somerset o John Osman – Mendip (elected unopposed) o Peter McCowen – North Wiltshire o Anna Shantry – North Wiltshire (2 year term of office) o Jill Scott – South Wiltshire o Virginia McNab – Rest of England and Wales (elected unopposed) o Sophie Legg – Staff (re-elected)




o Baz Harding-Clark – Staff o Julie Stone - Staff

• A copy of the election result is attached at appendix 1 for your information.

Next Governor Election The next election will be held in 2022, and this will be a constituency wide election. Recommendations The Council of Governors is asked to:

1. Note the update report which has been discussed at the Membership & Outreach Working Group on 19th November 2020.

Printed and published by the Returning Officer, UK Engage, Image House, 10 Acorn Business Park, Heaton Lane, Stockport SK4 1AS

As Returning Officer at the election of members to the Council of Governors for the Public - City of Bath Constituency held between Wednesday, 7 October 2020 and Friday, 30 October 2020, I hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for each candidate was as follows:

Name of Candidates Number of Votes

Amanda Buss 90

Dr. Nesta Collingridge-Padbury 169 Elected

Stephen Davies 12

Stephen Grey 21

Ray Hammond 12

Nicola James 77

Jonathan Knee 41

I declare that Dr. Nesta Collingridge-Padbury is duly elected to the Council of Governors.

The number of ballot papers rejected was as follows:

No Declaration of Identity received 0

0

No unique identifier 0

Voting for more than 1 candidate 0

Writing or other identifying mark 0

Unmarked ballot paper 0

Electorate 2,478

Total number of votes cast 422

Turnout 17.03%

Invalid votes cast (see below) 0

Total valid votes 422

Declaration of Result Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Public - City of Bath Constituency


Craig Poyser Tony Slater Returning Officer

UK Engage, Image House, 10 Acorn Business Park, Heaton Lane,

Stockport SK4 1AS

Tel: 0345 209 3770 Fax: 0161 209 4804

Email: [email protected]

2 November 2020

mailto:[email protected]


As Returning Officer at the election of members to the Council of Governors for the Public - North East Somerset Constituency held between Wednesday, 7 October 2020 and Friday, 30 October 2020, I hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for each candidate was as follows:


Suzanne Harris 144 Elected

Steve Hicks 54

Reg Williams 88

I declare that Suzanne Harris is duly elected to the Council of Governors. The number of ballot papers rejected was as follows:


0







Stockport SK4 1AS

Tel: 0345 209 3770 Fax: 0161 209 4804


2 November 2020

Electorate 1,936


Turnout 14.77%




Public - North East Somerset Constituency



As Returning Officer at the election of members to the Council of Governors for the Public - North Wiltshire Constituency held between Wednesday, 7 October 2020 and Friday, 30 October 2020, I hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for each candidate was as follows:


Peter L Buttle 58

Chris Callow 45

Sarah Costigan 20

Peter McCowen 85 Elected

Kirsty Martin 60

Anna Shantry 73 Elected

Adrian Waller 48

I declare that Peter McCowen and Anna Shantry are duly elected to the Council of Governors. The number of ballot papers rejected was as follows:


0


Voting for more than 2 candidates 0



Electorate 1,745


Turnout 12.89%




Public - North Wiltshire Constituency




Stockport SK4 1AS

Tel: 0345 209 3770 Fax: 0161 209 4804


2 November 2020



As Returning Officer at the election of members to the Council of Governors for the Public - South Wiltshire Constituency held between Wednesday, 7 October 2020 and Friday, 30 October 2020, I hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for each candidate was as follows:


Horace Prickett 105

Jill Scott 171 Elected

Dan Wright 61

I declare that Jill Scott is duly elected to the Council of Governors. The number of ballot papers rejected was as follows:


0







Stockport SK4 1AS

Tel: 0345 209 3770 Fax: 0161 209 4804


2 November 2020

Electorate 2,306


Turnout 14.61%




Public - South Wiltshire Constituency



As Returning Officer for the Election to the Council of Governors of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, I hereby declare that the following candidate is duly elected: John Osman

Craig Poyser Returning Officer 28 September 2020

Declaration of Candidates Elected Unopposed

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Public - Mendip Constituency


As Returning Officer for the Election to the Council of Governors of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, I hereby declare that the following candidate is duly elected: Virginia McNab

Craig Poyser Returning Officer 28 September 2020

Declaration of Candidates Elected Unopposed

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Public - Rest of England Constituency


As Returning Officer at the election of members to the Council of Governors for the Staff Constituency held between Wednesday, 7 October 2020 and Friday, 30 October 2020, I hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for each candidate was as follows:


Tim Godden 217

Baz Harding-Clark 266 Elected

Phil Hicks 115

Darrin King 197

Laurence King 152

Sophie Legg 331 Elected

Julie Stone 247 Elected

I declare that Sophie Legg, Baz Harding-Clark and Julie Stone are duly elected to the Council of Governors. The number of ballot papers rejected was as follows:


0 Voting for more than 3 candidates 0



Electorate 5,671


Turnout 13.49%




Staff Constituency




Stockport SK4 1AS

Tel: 0345 209 3770 Fax: 0161 209 4804


2 November 2020


Documents

2020 Election Report Status - Royal United Hospitals Bath