All directors, including the Chair, have equal duties and responsibilities and so the role of the Chair is often described as 'first among equals.' However the Chair has additional responsiblities which are covered in more detail under 'Chair' but may be briefly summarised as:
- Ensuring that the board behaves consistently with its own rules and with those legitimately imposed upon it from outside;
- Ensuring that the meeting discussion content is only those issues which, according to board policy, clearly belong to the board to decide;
- Being the conduit between the board and the Chief Executive;
- Being the leader of the board.
Consequently the selection of the Chair is of vital importance in achieving the best in good governance.
The Chair should be elected by the board each year and should be the person who not only displays the attributes listed above, but also is the best person to lead the board in its strategic direction.