Merton Council is set to undertake a comprehensive review of its constitution, aiming to ensure its governance structures are robust and prepared for future challenges. The review is intended to enable us to do what we need to do and ensure the council is in readiness for upcoming changes, including its evolving role as a landlord.

The Governance Standards and Audit Committee met on Thursday, September 3, 2026, to discuss the progress of various audits and reports, including a significant item on the work programme that highlighted the need for constitutional review. The committee's agenda and public reports pack can be found here and here.

Chart showing year-on-year improvements in audit assurance levels.
Figure 3: Year-on-year improvements in audit assurance levels provided by EY, showing a decrease in disclaimed opinions from 76% in 2023-24 to 59% in 2024-25.

Richard Poole, Vice-Chair of the committee, informed members that an additional meeting was likely to be scheduled for October 8, 2026, specifically to address the brilliant basics initiative. This initiative encompasses reviewing parts of the constitution to ensure its governance is fit for purpose. The aim is to be there in readiness and not too late for these changes, though a specific completion date for the entire review and implementation of changes has not yet been provided.

Councillor Nick Thomas inquired about the driving force behind the extra meeting. Mr Poole explained that the review of the constitution is crucial for readiness, particularly in light of the council's evolving responsibilities.

Portrait of Councillor Nick Thomas.
Portrait of Councillor Nick Thomas, who inquired about audit deferrals during the Governance Standards and Audit Committee meeting.

Councillor Devina Paul sought clarification on whether members would have the opportunity to amend constitutional changes at the proposed meeting. Mr Poole confirmed that while some changes could be legally made without full council approval, members' input would be considered. He added that many of these changes would be driven by legal requirements and preparations for the council's role as a landlord, particularly concerning its Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

Specifically, some constitutional changes will be made due to changes of the law, and many will be related to us getting ready for being a landlord, with a particular focus on the HRA. While the exact legal requirements are not detailed, the intention is to improve day-to-day operations by enabling the council to function more effectively in its new capacity. Mr Poole explained that there will be many of those changes that I can legally make without going through full council and I can make them because of changes of the law. He also noted that members' input would be taken on board for other changes, indicating a balance between officer-led amendments driven by legislation and those involving member consultation, though the specifics of which amendments require full council approval remain unstated.

Chart showing the distribution of audit opinions across different types of entities.
Portrait of Councillor Nick Thomas, who inquired about audit deferrals during the Governance Standards and Audit Committee meeting.

Bar chart showing that councils in Quartile 4 were 10 times more likely to have Value for Money Findings than Quartile 1.
Bar chart showing that councils in Quartile 4 were 10 times more likely to have Value for Money Findings than Quartile 1, broken down by Financial Sustainability, Governance, and Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness.