Three veterinary surgeons have been elected to the RCVS Council for four-year terms.

Fifteen candidates stood in the 2026 election and 6,289 veterinary surgeons (15.8% of those eligible) cast a vote.

Voter turnout compares with 19% in 2025, 19.7% in 2024, 16.7% in 2023 and 18.6% in 2022.

The winning candidates were: Ian Battersby FRCVS with 2,205 votes, Neil Smith FRCVS with 1,620 votes and Lara Wilson MRCVS with 1,598 votes.

Their four-year terms will start at the RCVS Annual General Meeting on Friday, 3 July.

Clare Paget, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the election, said: "Thank you to all of this year's candidates for taking the time and effort to put themselves forward for the election, and to all those who voted as well."

"We look forward to welcoming our three new Council members later this year."

www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote26