GS election before Conference

An election for the BECTU General Secretary is to be held following Roger Bolton's sad death.

The union's NEC (National Executive Committee) has agreed that an election should be set in train now, and that if a ballot is necessary it should be completed in time for the new General Secretary to officiate at the union's 2007 Conference.

The union's rules require an election ballot to be held within three months.

BECTU Branches are being invited to make nominations (only Branches are allowed to nominate).

Candidates can be members or employees of the union, but each needs at least ten nominations, or to be nominated by Branches with a combined membership of at least 1,000.

Branches have to convene meetings of members to agree a nomination, but if the meeting is, or will inevitably be, inquorate, the Branch Committee can act in the name of the Branch.

Nominations have to be made on a form provided to Branch Secretaries. The nomination form must be returned by 1200 on 2 February 2007.

If the election is contested, there will be a postal ballot of members, closing on 13 April 2007. The independent scrutineer for the election is Electoral Reform Services, The Election Centre, 33 Clarendon Road, London N8 0NW.

Branches can also use their meetings to consider motions for BECTU's 2007 Annual Conference. The closing date for these is 6 February 2007, and forms were sent to Branch Secretaries last September.

Delegates' names are not required yet, but forms for these will be sent out in the New Year. The 2007 conference is being held at the Royal Bath Hotel in Bournemouth, on 28 April.