Voting for the 2023 trustee elections is now open.

Cycling UK is recruiting new trustees to our 2024-27 board to help direct Cycling UK’s strategy. We are keen to have as diverse and inclusive a board as possible, with people coming from a wide range of backgrounds, places and perspectives.

As well as a passion for cycling, our trustees must have the essential skills, knowledge, and experience required to become an effective trustee.

This year as we begin to prepare for implementation of our new organisational strategy from April 2024 onwards, we are particularly keen to ensure we have candidates who bring experience and skills in: public policy/national campaigning; brand development and public relations; IT/digital delivery and service design; and strategic HR and change management, to complement the skills of the other trustees on the board.

The 2023 trustee elections ballot paper provides full details on the candidates, their election statement and the Nominations Committee overview.

Members can vote in the 2023 trustee elections when voting opens on 29 September 2023. To vote online go to www.cesvotes.com/cyclinguk23 and follow the online instructions. You will need to enter your unique two-part security code, which is provided on the ballot paper.

Members can also vote by post, with full details outlined on the ballot paper. The deadline for electronic and postal votes is 9am Tuesday 31 October 2023.

If you have not received your ballot paper or two-part security code, please do not hesitate to contact us at haveyoursay@cyclinguk.org.

Statement from the trustees on the 2023 elections

Dear members

Following the publication of the 2023 trustee election ballot paper and launch of voting for candidates, we are aware that some members are unhappy that only two candidates have been put forward to members.

We therefore wish to provide further clarification around our elections this year. This year we received fewer applications, not all of which, in view of the Nominations Committee, met the specific skills criteria or capability needed to continue to progress the work of the charity.

In addition, we received a number of applications from members who had been a member for less than 12 months and therefore were unable to stand for election as is a requirement specified under a motion voted on and passed at the annual general meeting in 2016. Both of these factors therefore limited the pool of eligible candidates to be considered for election.

In total we received:

• 4 eligible applications from members which were considered for election
• 3 applications from members who had been a member for less than 12 months and therefore were ineligible to stand under the 2016 ordinary resolution
• 1 application received after the closing date for the process

The board’s Nominations Committee then assessed the eligible applications received and considered the degree to which they have the personal qualities, skills and experience required; and how well they would complement the existing skills mix on the board. The applications were thoroughly evaluated by a process agreed by the board.

Of the four eligible applications received, two scored above 83% of the total marks available and were put forward for election. The two remaining candidates scored below 54%.

As it is the legal duty of the trustees as company directors, to ensure that the charity is operated effectively, and the work and assets of the company safeguarded, the board and Nominations Committee considered that it is only appropriate for candidates to appear on the ballot paper where the trustees are confident that candidates possess the capability to progress the work and effectiveness of the charity.

Unfortunately, the Nominations Committee did not consider this to be the case for two of the candidates and as there was a limited number of applications this year and with a number of ineligible candidates, the board regretfully had to put forward a smaller selection of candidates for consideration on this year’s ballot paper.

We welcome engagement from members in our governance but recognise that the number of members expressing an interest in becoming a trustee; voting on elections and at general meetings has fallen in recent years, despite the ongoing success and impact of the organisation.

We also recognise that the current election processes and minimum 12-month membership requirement to be eligible for election, are partially restrictive to newly joined members, but we encourage members to continue to seek to stand for election.

We are sorry that some members have expressed their dissatisfaction with this year’s process and we will continue to review how we ensure that future processes are more inclusive and open.

Paul Baker
Acting chair

Christine Gibbons
Vice chair