The Shareholder Committee of Kensington and Chelsea Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 11 November 2025. The primary item on the agenda was a decision regarding the dormancy of Notting Dale Heat Network Ltd. The meeting also included a period of silence to commemorate the Grenfell tragedy.

Making Notting Dale Heat Network Ltd. Dormant

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the proposal to make Notting Dale Heat Network Ltd. (which trades as Notting Dale Heat ) dormant. This decision was previously approved by the Leadership Team on 4 June 2025. The report pack indicated that this change is intended to establish clearer lines of accountability for the delivery and operation of the Notting Dale Heat network, enhance transparency, and ultimately lead to lower bills for residents.

The committee was recommended to approve several actions to facilitate this change:

• Approve simplified Articles of Association for Notting Dale Heat Network Ltd.
• Approve the termination of the Shareholder's Agreement.
• Agree not to audit Notting Dale Heat's dormant accounts.
• Delegate operational decisions to the Director of Cleaner, Greener and Leisure Services, who is the sole remaining director of Notting Dale Heat.

The report outlined that the existing Articles of Association required updating to reflect the reduced number of directors, as five out of six had resigned following the decision to make the company dormant. The updated Articles would permit a single director to manage the company's affairs, which is the minimum requirement for a dormant company under Companies House regulations. The termination of the Shareholder's Agreement was deemed necessary as it conflicted with the revised Articles of Association.

The background to this decision highlighted that Notting Dale Heat has been operating as a local authority energy company since January 2022. The Notting Dale Heat Network project itself will continue to be managed in-house by the Council's Lancaster West Neighbourhood Team, with the network expected to become operational in 2027. The report suggested that keeping the delivery in-house and making Notting Dale Heat dormant could result in average annual savings of £70 per household, a 13% reduction on the previously forecast daily standing charge, and a 6% saving on variable charges per unit of heat.

The report also detailed extensive consultation and community engagement undertaken since 2021, involving residents in the co-design of the Notting Dale Heat Network. Ward Councillors for Notting Dale and the Lancaster West Residents Association (LWRA) have been kept informed. Environmental implications were also noted, with the project contributing to carbon emission reductions and supporting the Council's commitment to improving air quality and reducing fuel poverty.

The meeting was also scheduled to include 72 seconds of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the Grenfell tragedy.

The agenda also listed standard procedural items, including apologies for absence, members' declarations of interest, and the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 January 2025. The report pack also contained a Safety Impact Assessment for the Notting Dale Heat Network project, detailing potential risks and mitigation strategies related to construction work, community impact, statutory building safety requirements, the working environment, and safeguarding for children and adults.