The Constitution of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council met on Friday 17 April 2026 to discuss the entirety of the council's constitution. The meeting's agenda was focused on reviewing and potentially revising the foundational document that governs the council's operations, decision-making processes, and codes of conduct for both elected members and officers.

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Constitution

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Constitution. This comprehensive document outlines the framework for how the council operates, including the roles and responsibilities of its various bodies and individuals.

The Constitution is divided into several parts:

• Part 1: Introduction - This section provides an overview of the council's operational structure, key constitutional elements, and the rights of the public.
• Part 2: Articles of the Constitution - This part details the different council bodies, their functions, and opportunities for public participation in decision-making. It covers articles on the constitution itself, members of the council, the public's relationship with the council, council meetings, committees, standards, neighbourhood committees, joint arrangements, officers, decision-making processes, finance, contracts, legal matters, and the review and revision of the constitution.
• Part 3: Responsibility for Functions - This section outlines how the council's functions are allocated and which decision-making bodies or individuals are responsible for them. It includes details on the terms of reference for various committees and a scheme of delegations.
• Part 4: Rules of Procedure - This part sets out the detailed procedural rules for decision-making, including meeting procedure rules, access to information rules, call-in procedures, contract regulations, financial regulations, officer employment rules, and the petition scheme.
• Part 5: Codes and Protocols - This part contains the codes of conduct for members and employees, as well as protocols governing member-officer relations, planning, and the relationship between the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.
• Part 6: Members' Allowances Scheme - This outlines the allowances paid to the Mayor, councillors, and co-opted members to cover costs associated with their council duties.
• Part 7: Glossary of Terms - This section provides explanations for key terms used throughout the Constitution.

The report pack indicated that revisions to the Constitution had been made on various dates, with the most recent significant updates occurring on 17 April 2026, affecting Contract Regulations, the Members' Allowances Scheme, and the Glossary of Terms. These revisions were noted as being brought in line with current practice and changes to government policy. The document also detailed the version control history of the Constitution, showing amendments made by Full Council and the Monitoring Officer following recommendations from committees or in response to legislative changes.