Grant Thornton

External auditor Grant Thornton has highlighted significant financial and governance issues across several councils. Kensington and Chelsea's Audit & Transparency Committee reviewed Grant Thornton's 2025/26 Auditor's Annual Report in September 2026, noting governance weaknesses related to a cyber attack and housing safety. Barking and Dagenham's Pensions Committee reviewed the 2025/26 audit plan in June 2026, with auditors working to resolve previous disclaimer issues. Grant Thornton reported in March 2026 that Barking and Dagenham Council's audit is expected to face disclaimed opinions until 2028/29 due to national backstop arrangements. Enfield Council's external auditors are expected to issue a disclaimer of opinion for the 2024-25 financial statements, as reported in October 2025.

Councils are actively addressing audit findings and planning future work. Barnet's Pension Fund Committee received Grant Thornton's draft audit findings report for 2025/26 in September 2026. Brent Council faced an additional £19,000 audit fee for 2024/25 due to poor asset record keeping, as heard by the Audit and Standards Committee in December 2025. Following Grant Thornton's recommendations in March 2026, Barking and Dagenham's Audit and Risk Committee will now oversee subsidiary company accounts. Enfield Council is considering debt reduction strategies, recommended by Grant Thornton in November 2025, as its debt is projected to reach £1.5 billion by late 2025/26.

Upcoming meetings will continue to address audit progress and financial oversight. Enfield's Audit Committee is scheduled to discuss external audit progress for 2025-2026 in September 2026. Westminster's Audit and Performance Committee is scheduled to review financial statements and audit plans in July 2026. Brent's Pension Fund Sub-Committee is also scheduled to review draft annual accounts in July 2026. Grant Thornton, an international professional services network, serves as the external auditor for several local authorities and pension funds.