Accountability Tracker
The current status of investigations, legal proceedings, and key milestones in holding those responsible for Woking's financial collapse to account.
Active Investigations
Ray Morgan
FRC investigation into the former Chief Executive of Woking Borough Council. Opened February 2025.
Leigh Clarke
FRC investigation into the former s151 Officer of Woking Borough Council. Opened February 2025.
WHR Accountants (ACCA)
Potential ACCA proceedings related to the accountancy firm connected to Woking-linked companies.
No Formal Proceedings
Despite significant findings in the Grant Thornton Public Interest Report, no formal proceedings have been initiated against the following individuals and organisations.
Douglas Spinks
Former Deputy Chief Executive. Retired from the council. No formal proceedings initiated despite findings in the Grant Thornton Public Interest Report.
Peter Bryant
Former Monitoring Officer. Retired from the council. No formal proceedings despite his statutory duty to flag unlawful decisions.
Wayne Gold
Property developer behind GolDev Woking Ltd. The company has been dissolved. No proceedings initiated.
BDO LLP
Former external auditor of Woking Borough Council. Replaced as auditor but no formal proceedings for audit failures.
John Kingsbury
Former Leader of Woking Borough Council. No longer in the leadership role. No proceedings initiated.
David Bittleston
Former Leader of Woking Borough Council. Retired from politics. No proceedings initiated.
Key Accountability Milestones
Grant Thornton Public Interest Report published — finding practices "potentially unlawful".
FRC opens formal investigations into Ray Morgan and Leigh Clarke.
Government commissioners overseeing Woking’s financial recovery.
Whether criminal referrals will be made.
ACCA review of audit quality related to Woking companies.
Reorganisation Countdown
Woking Borough Council will cease to exist when Surrey's new unitary authorities go live. The accountability question is whether those responsible will face consequences before the council is abolished.
May 2026
Shadow authority elections for West Surrey and East Surrey.
April 2027
New unitary authorities go live.
April 2027
Woking Borough Council ceases to exist.
The Accountability Gap
Despite nearly £2 billion in reckless borrowing, practices found to be “potentially unlawful”, and a Public Interest Report documenting systematic governance failures, only two individuals — Ray Morgan and Leigh Clarke — face formal investigation. Senior officers who retired before the crisis became public face no proceedings. The council's former external auditor, BDO, was quietly replaced rather than formally investigated. Several former leaders who oversaw the borrowing have faced no consequences.
With Woking Borough Council set to be abolished in April 2027, time is running out for meaningful accountability.