Change at the DfE
At the very end of last term, Lucy Powell was appointed secretary of state for education, as part of new prime minister Andy Burnham’s cabinet annou...
7th Sep 2026
Devon Association of Governance
Charting the course to good governance: common challenges
This latest report by the National Governance Association (NGA) brings together the findings of over 400 External Reviews of Governance across the country to highlight the challenges facing governance.
The report is well worth a read, but highlights the following as the key challenges boards face:
- Weakness in board composition, including in skills and high turnover
- Lack of effective scrutiny
- Lack of clarity or oversight of vision or strategy
- Outdated governance structures
- Weak financial scrutiny and accountability
- Unclear communication and overlapping governance layers
- Negative board culture
- Not staying abreast of sector developments
- Underutilising or undervaluing governance professionals/clerks
- Insufficient risk management.
If you would like to hear more from the NGA about how governance can have real impact then register early for the Devon Association of Governance Conference on 4th November 2023 at Exeter Racecourse where a representative from the NGA will be speaking to members. Free to all those involved in governance in the Devon Local Authority area register your interest on [email protected].