At the meeting of Dumfries and Galloway today (25 June), Councillors agreed that the Chief Executive, Gavin Stevenson, would be the new Returning Officer. In his new role, the Chief Executive will now oversee the running of elections in Dumfries and Galloway.
At the meeting today, all Councillors placed on record their thanks to Mr Haswell for his excellent running of all elections in Dumfries and Galloway – even if they didn’t always agree with the result!
The successful running of an election is a very complex operation with a number of challenging tasks. The increasing complexity, risks and scrutiny associated with the management of elections and referenda will continue. The Chief Executive will now ensure there is full co-operation across Council services to support the election process so that it is successful for all future elections.
On his appointment as Returning Officer, Dumfries and Galloway Council Chief Executive, Gavin Stevenson, said “I am delighted to take on the duties of Retuning Officer for Dumfries and Galloway. This is not only a statutory responsibility, but one that is vital to the smooth and transparent running of Elections. I will be supported by a fantastic, experienced and well organised team and look forward to taking on the role at the Scottish Parliamentary elections next year. I would like to thank Alex Haswell for the exceptional job he has done in the role of Returning Officer for Dumfries and Galloway in the last number of years. I have big shoes to fill, but it’s something I am very much looking forward to.”
