The Transformation and Assurance Board of Tower Hamlets Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, to discuss the embedding of results from the People Survey into the next phase of the culture and workforce programme. The meeting also included a quarterly review of the highlight report to provide assurance on the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) delivery and a review of the forward plan to ensure alignment with key risks and emerging issues.

Workshop on Culture and Workforce Programme and People Survey Results

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a workshop focused on the next phase of the culture and workforce programme, incorporating the findings of the recent People Survey. This session, led by Ellen Clark and Jon Lloyd, aimed to integrate the survey results into future strategies for cultural and workforce development. The People Survey, which achieved a 50.1% response rate, was intended to provide a robust baseline for understanding the organisation's culture. The workshop was scheduled to discuss how these insights would inform upcoming initiatives.

Portfolio Highlight Report

The Board was scheduled to receive and discuss the CIP Portfolio Highlight Report, which provides updates on delivery across four key CIP programmes: Vision, Partnerships & Participation; Governance & Political Culture; Culture & Workforce; and One Corporate Team. This report serves as a mechanism for the Transformation and Assurance Board (TAB) to gain assurance on CIP delivery, review progress against milestones, identify risks, and discuss next steps. The report indicated that while overall CIP delivery was on track, specific programmes, such as Culture & Workforce, were flagged as Red due to delays in developing a workforce strategy. The One Corporate Team programme, which addresses statutory recommendations from external auditors, was rated Amber due to the significant response required.

TAB Forward Plan

The meeting agenda also included a review of the TAB Forward Plan, led by Jon Lloyd. The purpose of this discussion was to ensure that future TAB meetings in 2026 would be aligned with key risks and emerging issues, and to confirm that the forward plan supported delivery assurance discussions.

One Corporate Team: External Audit Findings and Mobilisation Plan

A specific focus within the CIP was the One Corporate Team programme, which is addressing significant areas of risk and statutory recommendations identified by the Council's external auditor, EY. These findings include several statutory recommendations and confirmed significant weaknesses in areas such as financial management, audit, procurement, and core services. A comprehensive Value for Money Response Mobilisation Plan is underway, supported by £2 million from the Council's Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) Risk Reserve. A detailed deep-dive into this mobilisation plan was scheduled for a future TAB meeting in February 2026.

Other Business

Under Any Other Business, the Council's next report to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) was scheduled for discussion.