Governance in the public sector is currently defined by the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE) and the Audit Commission as follows:

'Governance is about how local public bodies and partnerships ensure that they are doing the right things, in the right way, for the right people in a timely inclusive, open, honest and accountable manner. It comprises the systems and processes for the direction and control of local authorities through which they account to, engage with and lead their communities.'

This definition of good governance is based on the report 'The Good Governance Standard', by the Independent Commission for Good Governance in Public Services, published in 2004 and on the definition contained in 'The Report on the Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance', by the Cadbury Committee in 1992.

Simply put, governance is like the brain and the nervous system. When working well it provides clear direction, anticipates danger, communicates, is inclusive, moves and acts, all the while giving out and receiving information so that it can take remedial action and change course. Poorly governed organisations have poor ‘nervous’ systems. They can’t always see where problems are likely to occur or have occurred and they don’t scan their environment or listen to messages from users.

Having a good nervous system combines ‘hard’ factors like robust systems and processes, with the ‘softer’ characteristics of effective leadership, a positive culture with high standards of behaviour and probity.

Since governance brings together and balances so many elements of an organisation, if you are seeking to change and improve your organisation's governance the information provided in all the other themes on the Improvement Network is relevant.