Strategic leadership team

Sarah Ireland, Chief Executive

Sarah Ireland joined the Royal Borough of Kingston in April 2018 as the Director of Corporate and Commercial and section 151 officer. Her brief expanded in February 2020 and she became the Council lead Executive Director for Communities as well. Sarah has been in local government for thirty years with a depth of experience across all service areas.  

Sarah started her career with the Audit Commission and then went on to work at the London Borough of Croydon where she spent much of her career delivering a range of services transforming financial management, commissioning and contract management as well running operational services for key areas in childrens and adults. 

Sarah became Interim Chief Executive of Kingston Council in February 2023, before being confirmed on a permanent basis in May 2023.

Ian Dodds, Executive Director of Children’s Services

Ian is the Executive Director of Children’s Services for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. He led children’s services to an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ judgement in Kingston upon Thames in December 2019. Ian was previously the Managing Director of Achieving for Children, where he was responsible for leading the company commissioned to deliver children’s services in Kingston, Richmond and Windsor and Maidenhead.  As part of this role, Ian worked as one of the Department for Education’s improvement advisers, supporting two local authorities to improve the quality of their children’s services to achieve ‘good’ Ofsted ratings. Ian chairs the Developing Together Social Work Teaching Partnership for local authorities in south-west London which runs in partnership with Kingston University. Prior to joining Achieving for Children, Ian worked in children’s services in a number of local authorities in London. He started his career as a teacher and has also led alternative education and creative learning provision in libraries, museums, art galleries and theatres.

Matthew Essex, Executive Director of Place

Matthew leads the council's ambitious programme of heritage-led regeneration and renewal and is responsible for driving forward plans to deliver new highly sustainable homes across the borough, including the first new council homes to be built for decades. He joined Kingston in March 2022 from the London Borough of Redbridge, where he was Corporate Director for Regeneration and Culture.

Matthew has worked in regeneration for more than 20 years in a range of public, private and not for profit organisations in and around London. He has led a range of projects including the development of High House Production Park and the creation of a new town centre in Purfleet, the delivery of commercial and affordable housing and Redbridge’s work to revitalise Ilford town centre.

Louise Round, Interim Director of Governance and Law and Monitoring Officer

Louise was confirmed as our Interim Director of Governance and Law and Monitoring Officer, after a motion passed at Full Council on Tuesday 8 July.

She has a wealth of experience, including holding a similar position at Hounslow, and serving as Managing Director for South London Legal Partnership.

Sam Morrison, Executive Director Adult Social Care and Health

Sam originally joined Kingston Council in August 2021 as the council’s Assistant Director for Adult Social Care, Health Commissioning and Transformation. 

Sam brings extensive experience, having worked in a range of local authorities leading across corporate transformation and social care, delivering a range of partnership improvements for residents across health and care.

Sam has played a vital role in steering RBK through a post-COVID landscape and will lead Adult Social Care is delivering on a vision of empowering residents, while remaining flexible in managing the increased demand for services in a challenging financial climate.

Louise Footner, Executive Director, Residents and Communities

Louise joined Kingston in January 2019 and for the past year has been Interim Director of Communities.

Vastly experienced in strategic communications, community development and delivering corporate objectives, Louise was previously our Assistant Director of Culture, Communities and Engagement.

Before that, she was Head of Communications at Surrey County Council.

Sue Cuerden, Executive Director, Corporate Services

Sue has worked in local government for 30 years, most recently as Executive Director for Corporate Services and Assets at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Previous to this, Sue spent 25 years at Southampton City Council, culminating in the role of Service Lead for Corporate Planning and Commercialisation.