Summary of the Governing Council meeting, 27 & 28 May 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 May Governing Council meeting was chaired by Nick Maclean as President.
   

RICS Board Quarterly Report

• Council received and discussed the latest quarterly report from the RICS Board, including the Q1 2026 CEO report and performance reporting pack. There was particular focus on financial performance and response to the impact on the macroeconomic environment of current geopolitical events.
   

Standards & Regulation Board Quarterly Report

• Council received and discussed the latest quarterly report from the Standards & Regulation Board. The activities of the Dispute Resolution Service were a particular area of interest in the discussion. Council has invited the SRB to a workshop to discuss the regulatory responsibilities and the opportunities that exist for growth in DRS.
   

FY2025 Annual Accounts

• Council received a report from the Chair of the Audit, Risk Assurance & Finance Committee on the report and financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2025, which had been approved by RICS Board and signed on 22 May.
• Council noted that the 2026 AGM will be recommended to approve the appointment of Grant Thornton as external auditors for the 2026 financial year.
   

Qualifications & Professional Development Transformation Programme

• Council received an update on progress on the proposed qualification and assessment model, what the programme will deliver by the end of the calendar year, key issues impacting delivery confidence and how they will be mitigated. Council took the opportunity to interrogate the proposed approach. It was noted that a critical stage gate would be reached at the end of the summer when Council would be involved in key decisions on proceeding to detailed design.
   

Retired Member Offer

• Council confirmed its agreement that retired member subscriptions shall sit outside the concessions framework and be treated as a distinct subscription category and discussed subscription options for an enhanced retiree value proposition.
   

Senior Vice President Election Voting Mechanism

• Council approved the introduction of a single-stage First-Past-The-Post voting mechanism for Governing Council’s election of the Senior Vice President (SVP), and requisite amendments to the Standing Orders to reflect this revised approach.
• Council also approved the inclusion in the Standing Orders of an exception, for members of the Presidential Team, to the rule limiting service on RICS governance bodies to a six-year aggregate period (without a break) and extending this exception to serving members of all governance bodies wishing to stand for election to SVP.
• Council noted that the principle of whether the SVP should be elected by the wider membership was still to be debated at a subsequent Council meeting.
   

Consumer Protection

• Council received an update from the President on actions being taken by RICS to strengthen consumer protection. Council noted that in addition to work already being done, further imminent steps include the establishment of a member-led consumer panel, and RICS convening organisations in the field of consumer protection to explore how we can better align, reduce gaps in support, and improve outcomes for consumers in the built environment.
   

Questions from Members

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