A key tenet of public service and of the 'Nolan Principles' is that governors should act with integrity and transparency, and above all, must serve the interests of the organisation and not their own. Every new governor and all relevant senior officers should complete a declaration of interests, which should be kept up-to-date. Governing bodies should also have an agreed process for the behaviour of governors with a declared interest. If governors face a conflict of interest in relation to an item being discussed at the board they should inform the clerk or secretary, and take their advice on how best to deal with it.