Issue

risk management

15 stories · discussed at 34 council meetings · 21 councils

Councils are currently assessing the effectiveness of their risk management, focusing on governance, cyber security, and financial stability.

Merton Council recently approved a Corporate Landlord Model to manage its property portfolio, aiming to ensure assets are safe and fit for purpose. In July 2026, an audit of Tower Hamlets Council's schools revealed significant governance gaps, while Kingston Council's risk management was described as "reasonable" in June 2026, prompting questions about assurance levels.

Councils are also addressing specific risks, including cyber attacks, with Hammersmith and Fulham Council facing a high risk in March 2026 following a November 2025 incident. Several councils, including Hillingdon, Ealing, Islington, and Hackney, are scheduled to discuss risk management at their Pensions Committees or Boards in September 2026.

Risk management involves identifying, assessing, and controlling threats to an organisation's capital and earnings. This includes ensuring effective internal controls and governance, which Tower Hamlets Council's external auditor highlighted as having "significant weaknesses" in March 2026, leading to a disclaimed audit opinion for 2024/25.

Key facts

  1. Merton Council approved a Corporate Landlord Model for property management on September 21, 2026. Source
  2. An audit of Tower Hamlets Council's schools revealed "significant gaps" in governance on July 23, 2026. Source
  3. Kingston Council's risk management was described as "reasonable" by its Chief Audit Executive on June 24, 2026. Source
  4. Hammersmith and Fulham Council faced a high risk of cyber attacks in March 2026 after a November 2025 incident. Source
  5. Tower Hamlets Council received a disclaimed audit opinion for its 2024/25 financial statements in March 2026. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. 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.

Stories, page 2

  1. Tower Hamlets Auditor Finds 'Significant Weaknesses' in Financials and Governance; Council Responds Tower Hamlets Council is grappling with 'significant weaknesses' in its governance and financial management, according to a new report from external auditor Ernst & Young LLP... Tower Hamlets 5 December 2025
  2. Lewisham Council Assesses Key Risks in Corporate Risk Register Update Lewisham Council is actively reviewing and updating its Corporate Risk Register to better manage potential threats to its objectives, including key risks such as cyber security... Lewisham 17 November 2025
  3. Merton Council Internal Audits Reveal Concerns Over Assurance Levels and Recommendation Implementation Merton Council's Governance Standards and Audit Committee has reviewed internal audit findings that reveal areas of concern within the council's operations. The meeting on 13... Merton 17 November 2025
  4. Hounslow Council Recovers £35,000 in Planning Enforcement Case Hounslow Council has recovered £35,000 following a breach of a Planning Enforcement Order, according to the Audit and Investigation Performance Report Q1 presented at the Audit... Hounslow 8 November 2025
  5. Enfield Council Considers Renaming Committee to Audit Committee for Finance Focus Enfield Council is considering renaming its General Purposes Committee to the Audit Committee, a move intended to sharpen the committee's focus on finance and risk management. Enfield 28 October 2025
  6. Hackney Pension Board Enhances Risk Management Role and Updates Terms of Reference Hackney Council's Pensions Board has updated its Terms of Reference to include a greater focus on risk management and ensure members possess the necessary knowledge and skills.... Hackney 15 September 2025
  7. Internal Audit Finds Weaknesses in Lambeth Council Governance, Raising Financial Stability Concerns Lambeth Council's Corporate Committee recently reviewed an internal audit that revealed weaknesses in the council's governance, raising concerns about financial stability and... Lambeth 25 July 2025