Record Number Of Candidates For Commons' Election


Voting papers now being sent to local residents

Voting papers are now being sent out to the 64,975 residents entitled to vote in the triennial election of five Conservators who sit on the Board of Trustees of the charity which oversees Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath and Putney Lower Common.

This year sees an unprecedented 17 candidates standing for the five places to be filled. Over half of the candidates live in Putney and this may a reaction to the issues revolving around the old Putney Hospital site on Putney Common.

Following a recent Governance Review that highlighted the need for the Board to take a more strategic approach to the management of the Commons, the charity is seeking Conservators who bring the necessary skills to implement these changes and to focus on governance, whilst allowing the Chief Executive to carry out the dayto-day management of this very special and precious site.

Overseen by Electoral Reform Services, this year sees the opportunity for electors to vote both by post and online for up to five candidates each. Electors are residents who live within three-quarters of a mile of Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath orwithin the old Parish of Putney, and appear on the Councils' most recent Electoral Registers.

Sir Ian Andrews, one of three appointed Conservators and the Returning Officer for this year’s election, said: "The Commons are very important open spaces and their governance, in the hands of the Conservators, is a challenging responsibility.

"We need a strong Board of Trustees to support the Chief Executive and his team inmanaging the Commons and it is encouraging that the candidates offer an impressive range of skills and experience. We hope that the ability to vote electronically will encourage more electors to use their votes this year."

Voting closes at 5pm on Wednesday 25 February 2015.

Further information on the candidates can be found on the Commons web site.

February 4, 2015