How are the 30 Governors appointed?

16 of our 30 Governors are elected by the people of, and organisations operating in, Letchworth Garden City.

Under Rule 11, six Governors are elected, direct, through a poll of registered electors in the SG6 postcode area. The elections take place every five years. Those six candidates polling the highest number of votes are appointed to serve for a five year term. The next elections will be held in 2010.

Letchworth Garden City Clubs and Societies registered with us determine a further eight Nominated Governor places, from the categories specified in Rule 10 (b).

One fifth of Nominated Governors are required to retire by rotation each year under Rule 13 (h). In addition, two Governor places are permanently reserved, respectively for North Hertfordshire District Council and Hertfordshire County Council, who, in turn, appoint a representative or deputy to act on their behalf.

The remaining 14 Governors are appointed by our Board of Management, with one fifth of their number also retiring by rotation each year under Rule 13 (h).

All Governors are volunteers and do not get paid. They have equal status, regardless of which of the three routes they arrive.

What do Governors do?

The role of the Governors is many and varied. They play a vital role in bringing the views of the town to us. They also promote the role and activities of us in their own communities.

They represent us on internal Committees and Working Groups and also on external bodies and organisations. They are among the first to be consulted on issues of the day and on future initiatives.

To prepare for their role, Governors take part in an induction programme outlining their role and responsibilities, together with a briefing of our activities. Governors also participate in a rolling programme of training and briefing activities including: tours of our enterprises, themed workshops and dedicated discussions on key topics.

There are at least four meetings of Governors a year. Two are formal General Meetings – our Annual General Meeting held in March and a General Meeting held each September to consider the Corporate Plan for the year ahead.

There are also two consultative meetings, held in June and December, to confer with Governors on policy matters and the issues of the day. The output of these meetings provides valuable feedback to the Board of Management and Directors, assisting them in their deliberations and discussions.

Governors also attend the Garden City Meeting. This is a public forum, open to anyone who lives or works in the Garden City, to learn about our performance in the past year, plans for the future and to ask questions.