Ernst & Young
Tower Hamlets Council faces persistent audit concerns from Ernst & Young, with a disclaimed opinion projected until 2029-30.
Ernst & Young (EY), external auditors for Tower Hamlets Council, identified persistent weaknesses in the council's financial sustainability, internal controls, and contract management in September 2026. A report to the Audit Committee noted four statutory recommendations and six significant weaknesses remain outstanding. EY has projected that a disclaimed audit opinion for the council could persist until the 2029-30 financial year.
Tower Hamlets Council is implementing a £4.5 million, three-year plan to address audit failures and bolster its internal control environment, as discussed in July 2026. EY's provisional audit plan for the year ending March 2026 highlighted risks including management override of controls and asset valuations. Separately, in September 2025, EY flagged concerns to Merton Council's Pensions Committee regarding the valuation of complex Level 3 investments within the Merton Pension Fund.
Ernst & Young (EY) is a multinational professional services network that acts as an external auditor for various councils. Merton Council's Governance Standards and Audit Committee reviewed an external audit planning report in July 2026. No specific upcoming meetings mentioning Ernst & Young are provided in the supplied material.
Key facts
- EY identified four statutory recommendations and six significant weaknesses outstanding for Tower Hamlets Council in September 2026. Source
- EY projected a disclaimed audit opinion for Tower Hamlets Council could persist until the 2029-30 financial year. Source
- Tower Hamlets Council is implementing a £4.5 million, three-year plan to address audit failures. Source
- EY's provisional audit plan for Tower Hamlets for the year ending March 2026 highlighted risks including management override of controls. Source
- EY flagged concerns over Merton Pension Fund's valuation of complex Level 3 investments in September 2025. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on, with background from Wikipedia. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.