A message from the Leader of the Council

Kensington and Chelsea is a place like no other, a wonderful place to live, an exciting place to visit and a great place to work. This is not a coincidence – it is down to many decades of hard work from proud communities and residents, successful businesses, large and small, and dedicated staff here at the Council.

We have huge strengths to build on. Green and welcoming spaces, truly iconic high streets and markets, a bustling economy, high-quality education, strong and engaged communities.

Our communities are engaged, and we are lucky that thousands of you care about what Kensington and Chelsea is, and what it should be. A diverse borough, full of opportunity, with high standards of education, clean streets, and low tax.

Over the last few months, we have met, spoken to, and listened to residents, communities, and our staff. We have done so in many different ways: on the doorstep, through Grenfell Legacy conversations, via our own staff surveys, and through Let’s Talk K&C, our Council Plan consultation. We have engaged with our Citizens’ Panel, held workshops, and community meetings right across the borough, and taken onboard the many letters, emails, and phone calls.

All of this is one big conversation providing a foundation for our plan – and it sits alongside a clear mission set by bereaved families and survivors of the Grenfell Tragedy. They have told us that one legacy they want to see is for this Council to become the best Council. I accept this challenge, and believe we should all be humbled by it.

With incredible strength and courage, people who lost everything in the Grenfell fire – their loved ones, their possessions, their homes – have asked us to be the best, encouraging this organisation to be better than before.

We want to become the best Council for a borough that is greener, safer, fairer. That means not just listening to our residents and communities – but taking action.