Kingston Council Opposes Government's Plan to End Committee System

18 October 2025

Kingston Council has voiced its opposition to the government's plans to abolish the committee system and mandate a Strong Leader and Cabinet model for local governance. The council disputes the government's characterisation of the committee system as unclear, duplicative, and wasteful, arguing it provides clarity, accountability, and inclusivity in local decision-making.

While the Minister of State for Local Government & English Devolution has described the committee system as such, the council has not seen specific evidence from the government to support this claim.

The motion, proposed by Councillor James Giles, Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Housing, Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling, Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy, and seconded by Councillor Jamal Chohan, Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development, was submitted for referral to the Corporate and Resources Committee during a council meeting on Tuesday, 14 October 2025.

The motion states that imposing a one-size-fits-all governance structure undermines local autonomy and diminishes the democratic engagement of elected representatives and that residents are best served when all councillors are empowered to play a meaningful role in shaping the future of their borough.

The council resolved to:

Oppose the government's plans to abolish the committee system.
Continue to champion governance arrangements that put residents first and empower all councillors.
Communicate this position through writing a cross-party letter to the Minister of State for Local Government & English Devolution and to the local MPs representing Kingston upon Thames.

The full Agenda and Public Reports Pack for the meeting are available online.

Councils Involved

Kingston upon Thames

Meetings Involved

the Council of Kingston upon Thames Council on 14 October 2025

People Involved

Afy Afilaka Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Sue Ansari Portfolio Holder for Children’s services including Education and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Rowena Bass Leader of the Conservative Group Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor Mark Beynon Chair - Planning Committee; Chair - Pension Fund Panel Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Andrew Bolton Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Jamal Chohan Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development Kingston Independent Residents Group Tudor Ward

Councillor Emily Davey Portfolio Holder for Housing Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Jackie Davies Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Lorraine Dunstone Chair - South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Mark Durrant Chair - New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Ian George Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor James Giles Leader of the Kingston Independent Residents' Group Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Mariana Goncalves Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Liz Green Chair of the Health Overview Panel Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Helen Grocott Chair - Health Overview Panel Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Councillor Noel Hadjimichael Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Patrick Hall Chair of Pension Fund Panel Liberal Democrat Tudor Ward

Councillor Sabah Hamed Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Equalities Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Roger Hayes Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Lesley Heap Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Lynn Henderson Chair - Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Peter Herlinger Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

Councillor Alison Holt Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Amir Ali Khan Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

Councillor Robert Dongsung Kim Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Andreas Kirsch Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Culture Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Griseldis Kirsch Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Kamala Kugan Opposition Spokesperson for Corporate and Resources Kingston Independent Residents Group Coombe Vale Ward

Councillor Ian Manders Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

James Manthel Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Councillor Mike Massimi Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Regulatory Services Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Sharukh Mirza Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Nicola Nardelli Deputy Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Transport and Waste and Recycling Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Anne Owen Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Elizabeth Park Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Tom Reeve Chair - Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Farshid Sadr-Hashemi Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Anita Schaper Portfolio Holder for Communities, Commissioning and Customer Contact & Governance and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee; Portfolio Holder for Communites, Commissioning, Customer Contact and Governance Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Andrew Sillett Chair - Licensing Committee Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Susan Skipwith Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

John Sweeney Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Thay Thayalan Mayor Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Richard Thorpe Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets and Governance and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Councillor Yvonne Tracey Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Councillor Olly Wehring Chair - Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Diane White Portfolio Holder for Children's Services (including Education) and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Andrew Wooldridge Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Economic Development and Planning Policy Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Councillor Yogan Yoganathan Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Topics

Kingston Council Strong Leader and Cabinet model local autonomy Councillor James Giles Jamal Chohan Minister of State for Local Government & English Devolution