A message to all members as IDE Council elections are looming

This year sees changes at the top of the IDE with David Darsey taking over the President's jewel from Duncan Rudall and places on the Council available in the election.

The nomination process is now complete and all members have received their voting papers via email along with full biographies of those standing for election.

This year, for the first time for eight years we have an election for Vice President that is between Gary Bishop and Richard Dolman and your choice is very important to the future of the Institute. During Duncan's presidency we have moved to within a whisker of chartered status and we now have a demolition degree from 2017 and we cannot let the progress end.

Both candidates will do the job in their own way with Gary bringing his steady hands from his time as NFDC and NDTG President with him and his ability to consider proposals and to discuss and debate those proposals to find the best solution for the members, whereas Richard brings experience in organising IDE events and sitting on IDE Council and couples that with an enthusiasm for the IDE membership and all things demolition. Please read both biographies carefully and consider who deserves your vote.

The voting papers will indicate that you have votes to use on your selections and I would urge you all to vote and to think carefully as to how you use those votes. If, for example, you really like three candidates then just vote for those three as if you cast your "spare" votes for others who are not your preferred choices then you could, inadvertently, end up voting candidates into office who were not your preferred choice. As in effect using all of your votes "dilutes" the election process.

Please read the biographies from all of the candidates and decide if what they say is factual and is in the best interests of the IDE before placing your vote with those who have the IDE at heart.

Please remember that the IDE is an organisation for Individual Demolition Engineers and not company organisations and that the core membership is individuals working within our industry. During my time on the Council and during my Presidency I tried to make the IDE an institute for the people, please vote for individuals who want it to remain that way and who have the best interests of the IDE and it's core members in mind.