Summary of the Governing Council meeting, 13 & 14 July 2026

Council is keen to engage with our members and to hear your questions and views and we will be setting time aside on each meeting agenda for this purpose.  If you have a question to raise with Council please visit Ask Governing Council (rics.org). 

Governing Council membership

• The July Governing Council meeting was chaired by Nick Maclean as President.
   

RICS Independent Review

• Council devoted one full day of the July meeting to detailed discussion of key findings of the Independent Review 2025.
• Council agreed to establish working groups to progress work on areas highlighted in the Review.
   

Senior Vice President Succession Arrangements

• In the context of its consideration of the Independent Review findings, Council agreed that, for the 2027 SVP election, Council would continue to elect the SVP following an assessment process determined by the NRC.
   

Standards & Regulation Board Deep Dive

• Council spent much of the second day of the meeting on a deep dive into Standards & Regulation activities. This included small group in-depth discussion sessions focussed on the four core functions: regulation and assurance operations; professional standards; education and qualification standards; dispute resolution.     
• Council also received and discussed the latest quarterly report from the Standards & Regulation Board.
   

Dealing with Aggrieved Complainants

• Council received insights from Walter Merricks CBE, a distinguished figure in consumer protection, complaints resolution and professional regulation, regarding the challenges faced by organisations in fair, proportionate and effective complaints handling.
   

Subscriptions

• Council discussed recommendations from RICS Board regarding subscription fees for 2027 and in future years.
   

Questions from Members

• Council noted that no questions had been received from members for consideration at the July Council meeting.