The Senior Staff Panel of Kingston upon Thames Council met on Tuesday 16 December 2025. The primary item scheduled for discussion was the interview process for the appointment of a new Director of Finance. The meeting was scheduled to begin in public, with the possibility of excluding the press and public for certain agenda items.

Appointment of Director of Finance - Interviews

The main item on the agenda was the interview of candidates shortlisted for the position of Director of Finance. Members of the Panel, including Councillor Andreas Kirsch (Chair), Councillor Alison Holt (Vice Chair), Councillor Jamal Chohan, Councillor Emily Davey, and Councillor Sabah Hamed, were scheduled to conduct these interviews. Details of the interview schedule and supporting information were to be provided to the members in due course. The Panel was asked to consider excluding the public from this part of the meeting, citing potential disclosure of exempt information under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972. The public interest in maintaining the exemption was considered to outweigh the public interest in disclosure.

The agenda also included standard procedural items such as apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the confirmation of the minutes from the previous meeting held on 24 October 2025. Consideration of urgent items authorised by the Chair was also listed.