Councillor Tai Tylen Elected New Mayor of Kingston upon Thames

22 May 2026

Councillor Tai Tylen has been elected as the new Mayor of Kingston upon Thames for the 2026-2027 municipal year. The Annual Council meeting on Thursday, May 21, 2026, saw Councillor Tylen installed in the ceremonial role, with Councillor Jane Lim appointed as Deputy Mayor. Councillor Tylen stated that during his term, he hopes to promote community cohesion, inclusion and support for the local charities and vulnerable residents across the borough.

Councillor Tylen, who arrived in the UK from Sri Lanka in 1970, has a long history of community involvement in Kingston. He co-founded the Surrey Seamers Cricket Club and the ITC Kingston Tamil School, and has served as a Councillor for Tolworth Ward since 2014. His wife, Lata, will serve as Mayoress, and their daughter, Dr. Mira Tylen, as an additional Mayoress. Both were invested with a chain of batch of representative Deputy Lieutenant.

Mr. Yong Lee, husband of Deputy Mayor Jane Lim, has been appointed as Mayor's Escort and was invested with a batch and chain of office.

The meeting also included a vote of thanks to the outgoing Mayor, Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Sue Ansari, for their service over the past year. Councillors praised their dedication, humanity, and commitment to community initiatives. During their tenure, Councillor Hadjimichael and Councillor Ansari were commended for their humanity and kindness which made them so approachable. Councillor Hadjimichael convened Kingston's first ever resilience board, which later became best practice for London, and he became the GLA spokesperson for community resilience. He also set out to have 40 coffee and conversations with communities, and ended up having 42. They also chose to highlight two women-led charities, Leah, Learning English at Home, and the Fanny, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, making their work known and putting the hidden work that many women do in communities at the top of the agenda.

Further details regarding the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.

Councils Involved

Kingston upon Thames

Meetings Involved

the Council of Kingston upon Thames Council on 21 May 2026

People Involved

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 Emily Davey Portfolio Holder for Housing & Co-Chair - People Committee • Liberal Democrat • Norbiton 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 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 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 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 Ian Manders Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy & Co-Chair - Place Committee • Liberal Democrat • Alexandra 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 Elizabeth Park Liberal Democrat • Old Malden Ward

Councillor Tom Reeve Chair - Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee • Liberal Democrat • Surbiton Hill 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 Thay Thayalan Liberal Democrat • Tolworth 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 Andrew Wooldridge Liberal Democrat • Tolworth Ward

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

Councillor Brian Austen • Liberal Democrat • Coombe Vale Ward

Councillor Kim Bailey • Liberal Democrat • Coombe Vale Ward

Councillor Joanne Barker • Liberal Democrat • Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Helen Milestone • Liberal Democrat • St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Sam Foulder-Hughes • Liberal Democrat • Norbiton Ward

Councillor Rizwana Malik • Liberal Democrat • Berrylands Ward

Councillor Nicolai Due-Gunderson • Liberal Democrat • Canbury Gardens Ward

Councillor Stephen Evans • Liberal Democrat • Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Mark Manners • Liberal Democrat • Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Callum Morrissey • Liberal Democrat • Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Councillor Robert Sadler • Liberal Democrat • St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Sarah Wait-Sillett • Liberal Democrat • Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Peter Higgins • Liberal Democrat • Canbury Gardens Ward

Councillor Jane Lim • Liberal Democrat • Tolworth Ward

Councillor Blaise Murphet • Liberal Democrat • Tudor Ward

Councillor Manish Shukla • Liberal Democrat • Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Sachin Tulyani • Liberal Democrat • Tudor Ward

Councillor Wimal Wimalathasan • Liberal Democrat • Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

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