Insulation company banned by Royal borough from projects after being named in Grenfell Tower Inquiry seeks judicial review
An insulation manufacturer has launched a judicial review challenge against the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's decision to exclude the company from council building projects over claims the firm was implicated in the Grenfell Tower fire.
Siderise Insultation Ltd said the judicial proceedings seek the withdrawal and reversal of the council's decision.
The firm also said that, while its products were used in the Grenfell refurbishment, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry concluded that neither Siderise nor its products contributed to the fire or its spread.
The royal borough's leadership team made the decision on 11 December 2024 in the wake of a Grenfell Tower Inquiry report and based on the recommendations of its executive director for housing and social investment, Dan Hawthorn, and its chief solicitor and monitoring officer, LeVerne Parker.
The decision prohibits a list of companies named in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry from tendering for any council contracts and blocks any council contractors and consultants engaged in council construction or maintenance projects from working with the companies.
In addition, it prohibits council contractors and consultants from using any products supplied by the banned companies.
The council first adopted its prohibition policy in May 2021, following the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry's 'Phase 1' report.
It decided to update its policy following the publication of the inquiry's Phase 2 report, published in September 2024.
The officers' report said that the Phase 2 report revealed "behaviours or actions that could be described as incompetence, through to sharp practice and ultimately negligence and dishonesty".
It later added: "In reviewing the contents of the Phase 2 report, the council is adopting the view that its contents consist of findings of fact.
"This has been confirmed by external legal advice."
However, a spokesperson for Siderise said: "It is clear from the Grenfell Inquiry Reports that Siderise does not meet RBKC's criteria for excluding companies".
The spokesperson added: "RBKC decided to take measures against companies whose incompetence, dishonesty or misleading behaviour had contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire or its spread, or which were not candid before the Grenfell Inquiry.
"While Siderise products were used in the Grenfell refurbishment, the Grenfell Inquiry Report is clear that neither Siderise nor its products contributed to the tragic fire or its spread, and there is no suggestion that Siderise was not candid before the Inquiry, and therefore this exclusion is unwarranted."
It said the council's decision was "without foundation or justification".
The firm also highlighted the council's decision not to prohibit other companies because there was no evidence of either dishonesty or incompetence on their part.
"Given there is no suggestion in the Grenfell Inquiry Reports of dishonesty on the part of Siderise or any deficiencies in its products, the company should therefore not have been included in the RBKC decision", the firm added.
A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea said that the council stands by its decision.
Adam Carey
