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BVA
executives ‘leave’ ahead of stormy meeting
After
several months of public wrangling and years of alleged internal
strife the Chief Executive and Assistant Chief Executive of
the British Veterinary Association have left their posts ahead
of the BVA’s annual general meeting last Sunday.
Chief executive of 15 years James Baird, 58, and his assistant
Mrs Ailsa Edwards who had been with the BVA for ten years had
been criticised by seniors members prompting an internal inquiry
into allegations about their behaviour towards staff.
The inquiry, which cost £60,000, was to have been followed
by another into the alleged misuse of corporate credit cards.
Approval was give for this last month after an 18 hour extraordinary
meeting of the BVA Council.
But the AGM assembly last Sunday was greeted with a brief statement
saying that the chief executive had ‘retired’ and
that his assistant had left the association. Baird and Edwards
had been at the congress at Stratford on Avon on the previous
Thursday.
It was thought that members were ready to block votes on further
expenditure on investigations. A vote of no confidence in the
senior executives and possibly the council was also planned.
In August sixteen past presidents of the British Veterinary
Association expressed concern over the state of the organisation
in a letter in the profession’s own journal the Veterinary
Record. Amongst the signatories was Mr Mike Stockman former
chairman of Crufts committee, Kennel Club General Committee
member and trustee.
The allegations which include ‘harassment, staff intimidation,
bullying and possible financial mismanagement at the association’s
headquarters in Marylebone, west London, came several weeks
ahead of the 2002 BVA AGM on October 6th. and Congress at which
Barry Johnson a past president of the royal College of Veterinary
Surgeons called for a vote of no confidence in the Council in
a letter to the Veterinary Times of August 5th.
The presidents, all of whom were in office over the last fifty
years, called for greater transparency and openness in the light
of the two independent inquiries into the profession which examined
the allegations said to be ‘tearing the profession apart
and damaging its reputation.’
Mirroring Kennel Club concerns that the profession would be
seen as laughing stock in the eyes of the government if transparency
wasn’t applied, attention was drawn to the lack of confidence
in the organisation particularly in the wake of the adverse
publicity surrounding the veterinary involvement in last year’s
foot and mouth crisis.
One expensive independent report even questioned the management
style of the chief executive Jim Baird and his assistant Ailsa
Edwards and catalogued a whole list of problems highlighted
by past and current staff at the London office. These included
‘low morale, and an atmosphere of distrust, secrecy and
fear.’ This has lead to a high turnover of staff and prompted
others to join a union.
OUR DOGS contacted the BVA’s office in early September
and a spokesman said, “In the light of concerns raised
by staff, the Executive Committee of BVA appointed an independent
investigator. The report of the investigator has been received
and is being actioned. In view of the necessity for the process
to be conducted fairly, I am not in a position to say any more
at this stage”.
The then current president Andrew Scott confirmed that the report
was being ‘actioned’ and that for legal reasons he
was unable to comment further.
OUR DOGS contacted the BVA’s press office earlier this
week when a spokesman issued the following statement:- ‘The
Officers of the Association wish to announce the retirement
of James Baird, BVA Chief Executive for 15 years. The Officers
wish him well for his retirement and thank him sincerely for
his long and continuous service. Mrs Ailsa Edwards has left
the employment of the BVA.’
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