Kingston upon Thames Council has extended the terms of Julian Adams and Manpreet Mahal, the two non-voting Independent Members of the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee, for a further two years and five months, to 15 October 2028. The extension aims to ensure continuity and benefit from the specialist knowledge and insights these members bring to the committee, ensuring robust financial oversight.
The Audit, Governance and Standards Committee plays a crucial role in maintaining an overview of the effectiveness of the Council's corporate governance. Its responsibilities include risk management, internal control, financial governance, treasury management, and counter fraud and corruption, ensuring appropriate action is taken on any issues raised, according to the Update on Fraud Work Undertaken report.
The decision to extend the terms was made during the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee meeting on Thursday, 13 November 2025.
The Public Reports Pack for the meeting outlined that the Independent Members bring specialist knowledge and insight to the workings of the Committee, assisting it in monitoring the robustness of the Council's financial and governance arrangements.
According to the Renewal of Appointment of Independent Members report, Julian Adams and Manpreet Mahal were initially selected following an open recruitment process in 2024, which attracted considerable interest from qualified individuals. Seven candidates were shortlisted and interviewed by a panel including the Chair of the Committee, the Monitoring Officer, and the Deputy S151 Officer.
The report proposing the extension of their terms states that both Julian Adams and Manpreet Mahal have made valuable contributions to the Committee to date.
The Renewal of Appointment of Independent Members report notes that both Julian Adams and Manpreet Mahal are Kingston residents with relevant experience. Julian Adams has over 35 years of experience in financial services, including leadership roles in the Financial Services Authority, while Manpreet Mahal is a qualified accountant with extensive public sector audit experience.
Appointments to the committee are normally made for a four-year Council term. However, the initial appointments of Adams and Mahal were made up until the date of the borough elections, 7 May 2026 (19 months). The Renewal of Appointment of Independent Members report explains that this initial shorter term was until the date of the borough elections. The extension will bring their total term of office to four years.
The Scheme of Members Allowances provides for the payment of an annual allowance of £643.79 to Independent Members of this Committee. The Appointment of Independent Persons 2025 report states that this allowance is in line with what can be claimed by Independent Members.