Find out more about our Governor elections

 

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is looking for service users, carers and members of the public to join its Council of Governors and help mental health services thrive.

Trust Chair Zoë Billingham and Governors explain in the above video why you should consider standing for election to the Council and help shape local services.

The Trust, which provides specialist mental health and learning disability services across Norfolk and Suffolk, has nine vacancies this year for members of the public to join the Council. 

Nominations are now open and close at 5pm on Monday 27 October 2025.

If you would like to stand as a Governor, we hope the following information is useful:

  • Details of future Council meetings held in public are on the Events Calendar , together with the agenda and papers when they are available
  • Papers from previous Council of Governors meetings held in public and the Board of Directors meetings held in public are also on the Events Calendar
  • Our Code of Conduct
  • Governors Expenses Policy
  • Monitor also publishes information on the statutory duties for governors

If you would like to speak to someone about being a Governor, please email: governors@nsft.nhs.uk

To stand for election, you must be a member of the Trust. Join for free at: www.nsft.nhs.uk/membership

Nomination form

A nomination form to stand for election is available until 5pm Monday 27 October.

Need Help

If you need any help submitting your nomination you can contact the Returning Officer by emailing ftnominationenquiries@cesvotes.com

 

Elections to the Council of Governors

Rules and regulations for elections to the Council of Governors

Elections to the Council of Governors take place every year for those governors who have come to the end of the​ir term, or w​ho have stopped being a governor during the previous year. Governors are usually elected for three-year terms, starting on 1 February. They can be re-elected twice, serving up to nine years.

Our Constitution contains the rules for elections and the circumstances under which a person cann​ot stand as a Governor. These elections take place under the Department of Health's model rules for elections.

Members can only stand as a Governor for the constituency of which they are a member (that is, staff members can only be Staff Governors). 

CES sends ballot papers to all members in the constituencies where seats are being contested, to vote on who should represent them. 

For the election regulations and information about the Trust, please contact governors@nsft.nhs.uk.

Information on the Council and the role of the Governor

The Council represents the interests of our Foundation Trust members and partner organisations. They feed back information to the members who elected or appointed them. 

Governors must act in the best interest of the Trust and in accordance with the seven principles of public life - the Nolan Principles: 

  • selflessness
  • integrity 
  • objectivity 
  • accountability 
  • openness
  • honesty 
  • leadership

The Council meets six times a year in public and Governors should attend these meetings. There are also subgroups of the Council.

If you would like to stand as a Governor, we hope the following information is useful:

  • Details of future Council meetings held in public are on the Events Calendar , together with the agenda and papers when they are available
  • Papers from previous Council of Governors meetings held in public and the Board of Directors meetings held in public are also on the Events Calendar
  • Our Code of Conduct
  • Govenors Expenses Policy - July 25[pdf] 210KB
  • Monitor also publishes information on the statutory duties for governors
 

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