The Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals (Appointment etc.) Regulations 2002

Regulation 6

SCHEDULE PROCEDURE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE CHAIRMAN

1.  Where a vacancy in the office of chairman occurs the Council shall appoint a person who is not a member of the Council as the Returning Officer for the holding of an election to fill the vacancy.

2.  The election of the chairman shall take place at a meeting of the Council (in this Schedule referred to as “the relevant meeting”).

3.  At least 21 days before the relevant meeting, the Returing Officer shall give notice to the members of the Council inviting nominations for the office of chairman and stating the requirements of paragraph 4.

4.  A member of the Council who wishes to be nominated as a candidate for election as chairman shall give to the Returning Officer not later than seven days before the relevant meeting a notice of nomination signed by himself and by two other members.

5.  If only one person is nominated seven days before the relevant meeting, at that meeting the Returning Officer shall declare the nominee elected.

6.  If more than one person is nominated seven days before the relevant meeting, a ballot shall be conducted.

7.  Each member who is present at the meeting at which the election takes place shall be entitled to one vote.

8.  The election shall take place by secret ballot and, if necessary, by successive secret ballots until one candidate has an overall majority of the votes cast.

9.  If no candidate receives an overall majority of the votes cast in the first ballot, the name of the candidate who received the smallest number of votes in the first ballot and that of any candidate who wishes to withdraw shall be omitted and a further ballot shall be held.

10.  If no candidate receives an overall majority of the votes cast in the second ballot, the procedure described in paragraph 9 shall be followed and successive ballots shall be held in the same way until one candidate receives an overall majority of the votes cast in a ballot.

11.  In any inconclusive ballot if more than one candidate receives the lowest number of votes, a subsidiary ballot shall be held between them and the candidate with the lowest number of votes in that subsidiary ballot shall be the candidate whose name is omitted from the subsequent main ballot. In a subsidiary ballot if more than one candidate receives the lowest number of votes, further subsidiary ballots shall be held between the candidates tying with the lowest number of votes until one of them is eliminated.

12.  If there is a tie in a final ballot, the Returning Officer shall declare the election to have been inconclusive and the election process shall begin again.

13.  The Returning Officer shall declare the number of votes cast for each candidate and shall declare and publish the result of the election.