Independent Board review undertaken by independent audit
The RECCo Board were presented with the findings of an independent board review undertaken in recent months. The review highlighted the key strengths of the Board, its functioning, and its interaction with the Executive Team. It identified areas to consider for potential improvement. The Board resolved to implement some changes and to consider others in more depth in the new year.
Review of RECCo’s Forward Work Plan 2026-29
The Board were provided with an overview of the draft Forward Work Plan 2026-29, which has been informed by and will include specific references to the Preliminary Strategic Direction Statement (SDS), which is expected to become binding once the Code Manager licence takes effect late 2026.
The Board were generally happy with the content but suggested that the document could be shortened, while recognising the balance between accessibility and ensuring that RECCo is sufficiently transparent and accountable for its costs. They also suggested that there could be clearer narrative on the expected benefits of each of the proposed work strands.
Stakeholder engagement and communications review
The Board were presented with a comprehensive review of its corporate communications and stakeholder engagement activity over the past year to assess progress and shape priorities for 2026. The Board noted that RECCo’s stakeholder base is expanding as expectations grow to support the delivery of Ofgem’s SDS as the future REC Code Manager licensee. This includes deepening engagement with policymakers, industry bodies, and future users of REC-enabled data and digital services.
The review confirmed that RECCo will continue to strengthen its communications and engagement approach to ensure the organisation can continue to remain an effective delivery partner and play an enabling role in the evolution of the future retail energy market.
Energy Theft Referral Enforcement Service pilot update
The Board received an update on the Energy Theft Enforcement Service (ETES) pilot with the City of London Police (CoLP), which completed a six-week trial scheduled to end on 5 December 2025. The Board reviewed the performance against a set of five critical success factors built from the objectives of the trial.
- Increase operational enforcement outputs (warrants, arrests, orders)
- Improve cross-industry data quality and accuracy to support investigations
- Strengthen partnership working, particularly with CoLP
- Generate an appropriate volume and profile of referrals from REC Parties
- Demonstrate a viable operational model capable of scaling or transitioning to a long-term service
The Board heard that the ETES pilot has delivered early operational gains and strong partnership foundations. A range of enforcement actions have taken place, including warrants being executed, cease-and-desist orders being issued, and arrests being completed, demonstrating the end-to-end operational capability of the ETES.
However, there have been key challenges around referral volume and case quality, and the sustainability of police support. The Board noted that a final report and determination will be made in consultation with the CoLP later this month, but based on the current assessment, it’s unlikely that any recommendation to extend or embed the service can be made.
Project portfolio review
The overall project portfolio remains in a healthy position, with material progress across key industry initiatives. The Tariff Interoperability consultation has been published; Consumer Consent working groups have been successfully handed over to RECCo from Ofgem; and the Market-wide Half-hourly Settlement continues to deliver in line with plan.
Digital Services, which includes the replacement of the REC portal, is currently behind schedule; however, mitigations are in place to recover delivery and return the programme to plan.
Thank you
The RECCo Board
