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Woking Corruption

John Kingsbury

Conservative Council Leader|Council Leader during investment period
No longer council leader following 2022 election

Political leader of the Conservative administration that approved and supported the borrowing strategy. Served as a director of Thameswey Ltd from 2012 to 2018 while simultaneously leading the council that funded it. Provided political backing for the commercial ventures championed by council officers.

Key Actions

  • Served as a director of Thameswey Ltd (2012-2018) while leading the council that funded it
  • Approved the increase of Victoria Square funding from £150m to £460m
  • Chaired key council meetings at which major borrowing decisions were approved
  • Did not challenge officer recommendations for continued borrowing and commercial investment
  • Subject of a complaint alongside Ray Morgan that was dismissed by Monitoring Officer Peter Bryant

Details

Robert John Kingsbury led the Conservative group on Woking Borough Council during a significant portion of the period when the council's commercial borrowing strategy was in full operation.

As Council Leader, Kingsbury chaired key meetings at which borrowing decisions and commercial investments were approved. The political leadership provided the democratic cover for the officer-led strategy, approving recommendations from Ray Morgan and the senior management team.

Kingsbury served as a director of Thameswey Ltd from September 2012 to October 2018, sitting on the board of a council-owned company while simultaneously leading the council that was lending it hundreds of millions of pounds. He did not receive a wage for this directorship.

He was involved in approving the increase of the Victoria Square loan from the original £150 million to £460 million. A complaint was lodged against Kingsbury and Ray Morgan over the handling of this loan, but the Monitoring Officer Peter Bryant found 'no justification' for it - a finding now seen as deeply problematic given Bryant's own subsequent scrutiny.

The Grant Thornton Public Interest Report found that the culture of the council was one in which officer recommendations were rarely challenged by elected members, and that successive Conservative administrations provided 'strong support' for the borrowing strategy.

The Conservatives lost control of the council in the May 2022 local elections, with voters choosing the Liberal Democrats amid growing concerns about the council's financial management.

Sources

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