Kingston Council to Review Investment Policy

18 October 2025

Kingston Council is set to review its Responsible Investment Policy following a motion put forward at the council meeting on 14 October 2025. The review aims to strengthen the existing policy by incorporating international best practices and implementing clear exclusion criteria.

The motion, proposed by Councillor Jamal Chohan, Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development, and seconded by Councillor James Giles, Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Housing, Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling, Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy, calls for a strengthening of the current policy. The council agenda outlines the details of the motion.

The motion notes the Pension Fund Panel's decision on 17 September 2025, to review the Responsible Investment Policy, with consideration of international best practices, such as the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund model. It also highlights the precedent set by other pension funds, including the Danish Teachers' Pension Fund, which have divested from companies complicit in violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The motion further points to other UK Local Government Pension Scheme pools, like the Brunel Pension Partnership, which have adopted responsible investment policies with specific commitments on human rights.

The council is being asked to agree that a strengthened Responsible Investment Policy, featuring clear and robust exclusion criteria, is the most effective way to provide a clear mandate to the London CIV (Collaboration Investment Vehicle), an investment pool for London local authorities' pension funds, and fulfil the democratic will of the Full Council.

The motion proposes that the council:

Mandate that the final, strengthened Responsible Investment Policy, incorporating the principles of international best practice, be presented to the Full Council for formal approval no later than the December 2025 meeting. This timeline ensures a swift review and implementation process.
Instruct the Pension Fund Panel to immediately conduct a review to differentiate between its pooled fund holdings and any segregated or directly held investments.
Ask the Panel, where any directly held or segregated investments are found to be in companies on internationally recognised exclusion lists (such as those published by the UN Human Rights Office), to consider whether the process of divestment from those investments should begin immediately, in line with a prudent, 'no-loss' sales policy. This suggests that the financial implications are being considered and that divestment should not result in a loss.

The public reports pack provides further details on the motion and other items discussed at the meeting.

Councils Involved

Kingston upon Thames

Meetings Involved

the Council of Kingston upon Thames Council on 14 October 2025

People Involved

Councillor Afy Afilaka Liberal Democrat • Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Sue Ansari Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames • Liberal Democrat • Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Rowena Bass Leader of the Minority Opposition Group • Conservative • Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor Mark Beynon Chair of Planning Committee • Liberal Democrat • King George's and Sunray Ward

Councillor Andrew Bolton Liberal Democrat • Coombe Vale Ward

Councillor 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 & Co-Chair - People Committee • Liberal Democrat • Norbiton Ward

Councillor 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 Liberal Democrat • New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Ian George Conservative • Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor James Giles Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Housing, Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling, Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy • Kingston Independent Residents Group • Green Lane and St James Ward

Councillor Mariana Goncalves Liberal Democrat • Tolworth Ward

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

Councillor Helen Grocott 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

Councillor Patrick Hall Chair of Pension Fund Panel • Liberal Democrat • Tudor Ward

Councillor Sabah Hamed Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Equalities and Co-Chair - People Committee • Liberal Democrat • Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Roger Hayes Liberal Democrat • Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Lesley Heap Chair - New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee • Liberal Democrat • New Malden Village Ward

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

Councillor Peter Herlinger Liberal Democrat • Alexandra Ward

Councillor Alison Holt Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Economic Development & Co-Chair - Place Committee • Liberal Democrat • Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Amir Ali Khan Liberal Democrat • Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Robert Dongsung Kim Liberal Democrat • New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Andreas Kirsch Leader of the Council & Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Culture and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee • Liberal Democrat • Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Griseldis Kirsch Liberal Democrat • Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

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

Councillor Ian Manders Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy & Co-Chair - Place Committee • Liberal Democrat • Alexandra Ward

Councillor James Manthel Liberal Democrat • Canbury Gardens Ward

Councillor Mike Massimi Liberal Democrat • Old Malden Ward

Councillor Sharukh Mirza Liberal Democrat • Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Nicola Nardelli Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling and Co-Chair - Place Committee • Liberal Democrat • Kingston Town Ward

Councillor 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

Councillor Farshid Sadr-Hashemi Liberal Democrat • Kingston Gate Ward

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

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

Councillor Susan Skipwith Liberal Democrat • Norbiton Ward

Councillor John Sweeney Liberal Democrat • Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Thay Thayalan Liberal Democrat • Tolworth Ward

Councillor 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 Opposition Spokesperson for Social Care (including Education), Public Health and Equalities • Kingston Independent Residents Group • Green Lane and St James Ward

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

Councillor 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 Liberal Democrat • Tolworth Ward

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

Topics

London CIV (LCIV) Responsible Investment Policy United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Brunel Pension Partnership Danish Teachers' Pension Fund Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund Kingston Council Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Kingston Council) Leader of the Opposition (Kingston Council)