The governors of our public service organisations face a diffi cult task. They are the
people responsible for governance – the leadership, direction and control of the
organisations they serve. Their responsibility is to ensure that they address the purpose
and objectives of these organisations and that they work in the public interest. They
have to bring about positive outcomes for the people who use the services, as well as
providing good value for the taxpayers who fund these services. They have to balance
the public interest with their accountability to government and an increasingly complex
regulatory environment, and motivate front-line staff by making sure that good
executive leadership is in place. Governors shoulder a heavy responsibility in relation
to health, education, housing, criminal justice and many other aspects of public service.