Date: Tuesday 02 June 2026 10:00-12:00 BST

Location: online

Co-Chairs: Melissa Tallack (NWL); Gavin Starks (IB1)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims 

1. Outcomes reviewed and endorsed
2. Direction set for Q4 2026 and beyond

Summary:

• It was agreed (subject to the formal voting form to follow) that:
  • Members must respond to the previous meeting’s votes as soon as possible.
  • Members accept the need to transition Stream to a more robust legal footing as a separate legal entity, provided identity and continuity are preserved.
  • Members support the website redevelopment roadmap and direction of travel.
  • Members should ensure their EIR teams are directing people to Stream.
• It was noted that:
  • Environmental Information Requests (EIRs) have a perceived increase despite proactive data publishing, possibly due to more AI‑generated requests – this should be monitored.
  • Stream’s progress is sometimes constrained by external dependencies (e.g., CReDO/CaSTCo) and should focus more on outcomes within its control.
  • Stream BAU has varying needs, maturity and internal awareness in water companies.
  • Ofwat is increasing its focus on AI adoption, regulatory reform, and potential AI sandboxes
    • The Stream team will follow up regarding AI in Stream’s roadmap, the potential for Stream to be used as a sandbox and involving Ofwat in Stream’s data sharing governance review
  • Transitioning to an independent entity could unlock grant funding, agility, and reduced corporate friction.
• It was discussed that:
  • The website redesign should better articulate Stream’s value, feel more “alive,” and improve sector engagement.
  • EIR standardisation could reduce burden, improve efficiency, and support open data pathways and conformity to regulations, however, cost savings may be limited.
  • There is a need for 1‑1 conversations with each member company to understand readiness, BAU status, and internal decision pathways.
  • It is important to articulate what happens if the legal transition does not occur, i.e. “the lights go off” – what will the impact to internal business cases be?
  • There are growing opportunities in cross‑sector use cases (health, agrifood, energy) and secure research environments.
  • Stream needs to manage the risk from multiple innovation bids requiring Stream’s support simultaneously where resources are limited.
  • lessons learned from other sectors (e.g. energy, banking, finance, smart data) should be taken into account to facilitate Stream’s next phase to move at pace. Lessons include the tensions between building tech vs building market incentives, regulatory under/over-reach and delivery of frameworks at a reasonable cost that are both adopted and used by the market.

Next meeting: Tuesday 14 July 10:00-12:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.

Date: 28 May 2026 10:00-10:45 BST

Location: online

Co-Chairs: Laura Townshend, (IB1); Zarina Banu, (Tide)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims:

1. Discuss proposed SG member communication support
2. Gather AG4 advice and feedback on how to communicate the Perseus legal contract to members

It was agreed that:

• IB1 will revise the legal scheme structure slides to reflect the feedback from the group on the communications framing for the Perseus legal contract discussion.
• The revised version of the deck will be shared as an update at the next meeting rather than returning to this group for further review.
• The July meeting should be moved later in the month, extended to one hour, and positioned as a pre-summer wrap-up, with no meeting to be held in August.

It was noted that:

• Progress had been made in refining the approach to SG member engagement, including a shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more bespoke model of support for target organisations.
• The priority SG member targets remain the Federation of Small Businesses, British Chambers of Commerce, and Institute of Directors, reflecting their broad reach across UK business audiences.
• The legal contract communications material is intended to support more than one audience, including legal teams and wider senior or operational stakeholders within member organizations.
• The current visual presentation of the legal contract content appeared process-heavy and may be difficult for non-technical audiences to navigate.

It was discussed that:

• Efforts to mobilise SG members to use their voice to endorse and credentialise Perseus were underway, including the intention to produce tailored one-page briefs and build stronger relationships with communications teams over the summer.
• While legal review is an important part of the process, the broader value proposition for organisations lies in the opportunity to influence rules, implementation, and future scheme development.
• Communications materials should lead more clearly with the “why” and intended outcome, with clearer explanation of component parts and less reliance on process-led diagrams.
• Whether communications could be strengthened through references to existing precedents such as open banking, smart data schemes, and wider government direction of travel.

Next meeting: Thursday July 9th 2026 10:00-11:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: 14 May 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Location: Online

Co-Chairs: Charlotte Hillenbrand (IB1), Katy Woodward (United Utilities) and Josh Evans (Pennon Group) 

Secretariat: Icebreaker One 

Meeting Aims:

1. Create a clear set of recommendations for the SG members in regards to the upcoming outcomes
2. Endorse Q3 outcomes
3. Review and comment on the new website outline

Summary:

It was agreed that:

• A website testing group should be set up, with interested members invited to register by email.
• The outcomes for the two pillars would be presented as a high level summary to Steering Group:
  • Use Cases and Datasets this quarter will focus on aligning data standards for priority use cases, so members are ready for adoption and data publishing while keeping delivery as far as possible within Stream’s control.
  • Ecosystem this quarter will focus on strengthening Stream’s visibility and stakeholder engagement, including a refreshed web presence, to support the transition toward an independent entity.

It was noted that:

• Several Q2 outcomes have been deferred because they depend on external projects outside Stream’s control, including:
  • CReDO has clarified the scope but funding confirmation is still outstanding
  • CaSTCo – a response on next steps is still pending
• APR is making strong progress in Q2
• The data portal would remain on ESRI for now, while the website front end would be rebuilt separately.

It was discussed that:

• There is a tension between Stream’s convening role, which depends on external partners, and the need to set outcomes that are within Stream’s control.
• Future outcomes may need to focus more on readiness and responsiveness, rather than on external milestones.
• Website content and navigation should better show Stream’s value, services, products, governance, and impact.
• The distinction between active use cases and retrospective case studies was useful and should be reflected clearly on the website.

Next meeting: Thursday 25 June 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: Tuesday 19 May 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Location: Online

Co-Chairs: Lucy Chambers (IB1); Katy Woodward (United Utilities)

Secretariat: Icebreaker One 

Meeting Aims

1. Understand the Open Data/EIR situation and agree how to work with EIR teams. 
2. Create a clear set of recommendations for the SG members in regards to the upcoming outcomes

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • The outcomes for the two pillars would be presented as a high level summary to Steering Group: 
    • Data Sharing Governance will focus on establishing a sector adopted, standardised data sharing governance framework and the implementation of it for one use case
    • Technology will focus on delivering the design phase of CWQM development and redesigning and deploying Stream’s new website.
• It was noted that:
  • Work relating to citizen science data with CaSTCo was reported as deferred due to delays on the project side.
  • Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests were perceived to be increasing across water companies.
  • The top EIR request themes for 2025 were reported as water quality and chemicals, wastewater and pollution events, assets and infrastructure, water resources, and requests relating to particular places, assets or incidents.
  • There was concern that Stream data may be generating additional requests, despite the intention that published data should reduce handling effort.
  • AI-generated requests may be contributing to increased request volume and complexity.
  • Users may have varying levels of data literacy, affecting their ability to interpret published datasets.
• It was discussed that:
  • A survey or engagement approach should be developed with EIR teams to understand whether requests are increasing, whether Stream is affecting volumes, and what support would help those teams.
  • Any survey should likely be short, standardized, and possibly complemented by face-to-face conversations.
  • Useful metrics could include request volumes, request handling times, whether requests were closed more quickly using Stream data, and whether requests were prompted by existing Stream datasets.
  • A more standardised industry approach to EIR requests may be worth exploring, while recognising that responses would still be managed by individual companies.

Next meeting: Tuesday 30 June 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: Monday 18 May 2026 13:00-15:00 BST

Location: online and in person

Co-Chairs: Gavin Starks (IB1); Adam Jackson (Innovate Finance)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims 

1. Review the emergent use cases and Perseus as a proof point
2. Agree on the go to market plan and addressable market
3. How to engage FCA to turn greenwashing regulation into an opportunity
4. Ensure our communications are consistent and reflect an agreed collective position

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • Perseus should continue its focus on ‘doing one thing well’ in 2026: delivering 5 SME case studies by the end of 2026.
  • The Q3 meeting (July 27th) will act as a key checkpoint ahead of the November meeting to assess whether year-end case study delivery is on track.
  • ‘Perseus for Domestic’ should be explored in a contained way so it does not distract from the core SME focus.
  • SG members should increase communications activity on Perseus, with IB1 providing tailored support, with priority outreach to identified members.
• It was noted that:
  • The Perseus member ecosystem now includes sufficient scope and reach to support an addressable market of over 1M UK SMEs.
  • At least one FSP is actively developing a higher-rate savings product tied to verified carbon intensity reductions: this is an example of live commercial product development within the membership.
  • Early FCA conversations are positive. IB1 has submitted a briefing note and will continue to engage.
  • Additional DOC members with governance or data expertise are requested.
• It was discussed that:
  • Perseus could be extended into domestic property use cases, particularly aligned to warm homes, retrofit and open property data. This could provide a timely collaboration between the Open Property Data Association, Open Banking Limited, and Perseus.
  • A blurred line exists between domestic and business energy use for home-based and hybrid-working SMEs, and there will be sensitivities around data sharing.
  • Perseus supports different strategic and communications priorities, including energy security and affordability, resilience, transition planning, adaptation and cost-reduction.
  • The incentives for SMEs will vary based on their circumstances (e.g. cheaper finance, preserved access to capital, lower reporting burden, and combinations of these).

Next meeting: Monday 27 July 2026 13:00-15:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.

Date: Thursday 7 May 2026 14:30-16:00 BST

Location: In person & online

Co-Chairs: Sara Vaughan & Gavin Starks

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims: 

1. Events updates: feedback from webinar and details on next events
2. Discuss coordination of sector digitalisation
3. Update on roadmap quarterly milestones

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • The next Steering Group meeting will take place on 2 July 2026, and it will serve as the next working forum for the SPV discussions.
• It was noted that:
  • There has been progress since February 2026 on the industrial and commercial flexibility use case, including the delivery of a well-attended webinar.
  • The webinar covered the market need for a data-sharing scheme, the wider smart data landscape, and the challenges and opportunities for industrial and commercial participants.
  • A call was put out for two advisory groups: User needs and impact and technical implementation.
  • The wider context is rapidly evolving, with significant policy, regulatory and market developments shaping the environment for data sharing and digitalisation.
    • These include the joint Ofgem-DESNZ digitalisation vision, the March 2026 Smart Data Strategy, work on reformed national pricing, and the outcomes of the Ofgem review.
  • Architecture work is under way, with NESO leading development of an emerging baseline view in collaboration with domain coordinators, but that this is not yet a settled or complete architecture.
  • The Open Banking model was referenced as a possible example of how an SPV structure might work.
• It was discussed that:
  • There is a risk of fragmentation and lack of alignment across multiple parallel initiatives if governance, standards, consent and data access approaches are not adequately coordinated.
  • The proposed digitalisation coordination function is an important but still developing part of the landscape, and as a result its role, authority and practical operation remain uncertain.
  • There is a central question around whether Open Energy should operate in future through an independent nonprofit SPV structure, though no conclusion was reached.
  • If Open Energy were to play a future role, it is important to define where it could add value. Potential areas of value could include standards coordination, stewardship of shared semantic approaches, neutral convening between industry and regulators, Trust Framework implementation without holding data, and cross-sector coordination.

Next meeting: Thursday 2 July 2026 14:30-16:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.

Date: 11 May 2026 11:00-11:45 BST

Location: online

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims:

1. Orientate for 2026
2. Agree workshops
3. Review market based carbon accounting concept

Summary:

It was agreed that:

• The Perseus team will circulate endorsable statements reflecting the positive intent and direction discussed, for communication to members and escalation to the steering group.

It was noted that:

• The commercial workshop produced positive outcomes, with EDPs willing to work on commercial terms, CAPs ready to scale and integrate, and FSPs continuing to see an active market.
• There are specific areas where regulatory and government engagement could help reduce friction in the current landscape that Perseus can assist with.
• Progress has been made on identifying lighthouse SME customer case studies, with both FSPs and CAPs

It was discussed that:

• Narrow, targeted case studies are needed first to generate proof points before broader scaling across the community.
• Typical delivery timelines are around two to three months for relatively straightforward use cases and around six months for more advanced ones.
• Water could be a possible next area of focus, with the view that it may be more accessible than agriculture in the near term, while agriculture remains important but highly complex.
• Exploration of extending a version of Perseus to the domestic market should be taken forward to a briefing note stage.
• Future opportunities included broader application into reporting, Scope 3, credit ratings, insurance, asset management, pensions, and risk modelling, though these were framed as longer-term possibilities rather than immediate priorities and that a roadmap should be developed for them.

Next meeting: Monday 29 June 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: 28 April 2026 10:00-10:45 BST

Location: online

Chair: Frank Wales

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims:

1. Update on onboarding flows
2. Discuss coding agents in relation to onboarding
3. Discuss automated compliance monitoring

Summary:

It was agreed that:

• Participants to send example queries and desired time ranges so the sandbox can be configured to return realistic test data.
• IB1 technical team to investigate synthetic data resembling real consumption patterns, alongside a deterministic dataset for automated emissions testing.
• Coding agent practitioners within participant organisations to be identified for further input on tooling and workflow.

It was noted that:

• Complete demo CAP flow is now available in the example app, with step-by-step guides for both CAP and EDP implementations.
• Single-step directory enrollment in progress; full API access to the directory planned.
• The sandbox EDP currently returns only ~3 days of February data, insufficient for monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting cycles and pure random synthetic data triggers anomaly detection and is not viable for testing.
• A heartbeat service is already included in the Perseus spec to check endpoint liveness and certificate validity.
• No SLA is currently in place for the sandbox; this is expected to change in production.

It was discussed that:

• Publishing skills alongside Perseus APIs is likely to significantly lower the barrier to integration when using AI coding tools.
• Agent authentication is an open design question; current thinking favours re-authenticating agents at each workflow stage rather than carrying a persistent token.
• Machine-parseable error messages and a separate agent sandbox were identified as priorities for AI-assisted integration.
• Compliance monitoring and operational/performance monitoring should be treated as distinct activities.
• In a federated peer-to-peer architecture, misbehaviour may only be apparent at points of interaction between peers; consideration needed on whether clients should be able to flag anomalies centrally.
• SMEs are out of scope for the Consumer Consent Solution at launch but expected to be included shortly after; no significant technical blockers identified.

Next meeting: Tuesday 30 June 2026 10:00-11:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: Tuesday 21 April 2026 10:00-12:00 BST

Location: online

Co-Chairs: Melissa Tallack (NWL); Gavin Starks (IB1)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims 

1. Confirm confidence in the given ecosystem maps and agree priority outreach
2. Review member feedback on the Data Sharing Working Group documents and discuss next steps
3. Discuss and endorse collaboration with the energy sector

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • If members endorse the proposal, Thames Water will formally join Stream as a member, achieving full national coverage across England, Wales and Scotland for the first time, which strengthens its position as it moves towards becoming an independent entity.
• It was noted that:
  • Six priority stakeholder groups have been identified for focused Q2 engagement, with environmental regulators receiving a clear consensus as the top priority.
  • An ecosystem stakeholder map has been developed to direct outreach activity, with a review cadence of at least every six months.
  • Success will be measured through a mix of quantitative metrics (newsletter sign-ups, LinkedIn followers, event attendance) and qualitative outcome indicators (advocacy behaviours, funding facilitation, adoption of Stream as the defacto data infrastructure).
  • Stream is looking to engage with the energy sector on data sharing interoperability, as part of existing cross-sector commitments within the current funding period.
• It was discussed that:
  • The qualitative success metrics for ecosystem engagement, while directionally correct, require further detail at the individual stakeholder level to avoid setting targets for their own sake or driving unintended behaviours.
  • Outreach responsibilities need to be distributed across the Stream membership rather than relying on a single voice.
  • The regulatory reform landscape presents a timely opportunity to establish Stream as the defacto data sharing infrastructure for the water sector.
  • Cross-sector interoperability with energy requires careful management to avoid constraining Stream’s pace of progress, with transparency and communication being key to maintaining alignment without creating dependencies.

Next meeting: Tuesday 2 June 2026 10:00-12:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.

Date: 7 April 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Location: Online

Co-Chairs: Lucy Chambers (IB1); Dan Slidel (Southern Water)

Secretariat: Icebreaker One 

Meeting Aims

1. Create clarity on the framework, infrastructure and processes needed for sharing data.
2. Review use case process and confirm whether there is room for improvement.

Summary:

• It was noted that:
  • NESO is conducting similar work on templated Data Sharing Agreements, for interoperability purposes, Stream should endeavour to collaborate at some point.
  • The Working Group has developed early outputs to support data sharing, including a decision tree and an initial view of required templates and modules.
  • The work has been informed by a legal and risk‑based perspective, recognising varying sensitivity and risk across data sharing scenarios.
  • A revised use case process map was presented, intended to provide clearer expectations, support varied use case entry points, and remain adaptable as understanding matures.
• It was discussed that:
  • Widening participation in the Data Sharing Working Group is essential to diversify inputs.
  • A one‑size‑fits-all approach to data sharing agreements is not appropriate, and that a modular, templated approach may better accommodate different use cases.
  • Decision‑making tools should be usable by non‑legal stakeholders, while enabling appropriate escalation to legal, governance and compliance functions.
  • Reducing friction in data sharing requires attention beyond legal agreements, including identity management, audit and enforcement, data quality, infrastructure security, and organisational buy‑in.
  • Data ownership should sit with business leads, supported by legal oversight rather than led by legal teams alone.
  • There is a need to clarify what should be handled centrally versus individually by member organisations.
  • There’s a need for clearer decision rights and escalation, more effective prioritisation, and explicit consideration of funding, resourcing and capacity constraints within an agile use case process.
  • Members need better visibility of the pipeline and roadmap to understand what is coming, what is committed, and when.
  • The process should include a post‑delivery review to assess whether use cases delivered value and what was learned.

Next meeting: Tuesday 19 May 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: 2 April 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Location: Online

Co-Chairs: Charlotte Hillenbrand (IB1), Katy Woodward (United Utilities) and Josh Evans (Pennon Group) 

Secretariat: Icebreaker One 

Meeting Aims

1. Reviewing the use case template plus endorsement 
2. Review and discuss the ecosystem map 
3. Update members on use case status

Summary

• It was agreed that:
  • The WEC use case needed formal approval from members to take to the Steering Group.
• It was noted that:
  • All outcomes are now published on the Stream website. 
  • The stakeholder map is intended to be a live tool, reviewed and refined over time rather than fixed. 
  • Welsh, Scottish (and potentially Northern Ireland) regulators were identified as missing and should be added to the stakeholder map. 
  • Both Stream team capacity and member capacity were recognised as constraints when sequencing activity (particularly use cases). 
  • It is important that we measure the impact of what we’re doing, looking at outcomes and quantitative targets for the activity level. 
  • Each stakeholder will be assigned to a desired outcome: high levels of advocacy, integration of Stream into their ways of working (such as with DEFRA), facilitate access to sources of funding, and recognise and adopt Stream as the de facto data sharing infrastructure.
  • Independent innovators should be considered in the wider ecosystem map.
• It was discussed that:
  • The priorities of the group might be skewed towards the government/regulatory group, rather than the representative of the wider water industry but this may be influenced by the Water Sector reform over the next two years. 
  • Stream could look to the EU for research and data sharing opportunities.
  • Stream’s role may increasingly be one of coordination, rather than delivery alone.

Next meeting: Thursday 14 May 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: 26 March 2026 10:00-10:45 GMT

Location: online

Co-Chairs: Laura Townshend, (IB1); Zarina Banu, (Tide)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims:

1. Update on case studies
2. Discuss upcoming actions
3. Review Vision statement

It was agreed that:

• British Chambers of Commerce, FSB and IOD should be prioritised as strategic targets to help amplify comms due to their credibility, authority and member reach
• The updated Perseus’ vision and mission statement should be approved

It was noted that:

• Innovate Finance’s Global Summit is in April and panel opportunities on sustainable energy featuring Perseus maybe available
• London Climate Action Week takes place in June and IB1 has a cross-sector meetup planned
• One of the members has two potential SME contacts who might be able to contribute, both PR-ready having presented at the Houses of Parliament

It was discussed that:

• The geopolitical context presents a timely opportunity to amplify Perseus messaging, particularly around energy sovereignty, the government’s consideration of decoupling gas/electric price caps, and the cost of living crisis
• Small businesses are being significantly impacted by energy costs, national insurance increases, minimum wage changes and inflation, making Perseus a relevant operational efficiency solution
• In order to achieve amplification, there is a need to identify the right internal spokespeople within steering group member organisations, not just the steering group representatives themselves

Next meeting: Thursday 28 May 2026 10:00-10:45 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: Tuesday 10 March 2026 10:00-12:00 GMT

Location: online

Co-Chairs: Melissa Tallack (NWL); Gavin Starks (IB1)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims 

1. Sign off Q2 outcomes and priority use case
2. Align on bids process criteria for incoming bids

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • Q2 strategic business priorities include: (endorsed by members after this meeting)
    • defining Stream’s 12‑month ambition and roadmap
    • continuing development of the Change Champion network
    • establishing a clearer process for supporting funding bids
    • progressing the Open Data maturity assessment plan.
  • The first prioritised Water Efficiency use case for this year will be Water Situation Reports.
• It was noted that:
  • Co-ordination will be required with the Environment Agency for the water situation report (as the report is owned by the EA)
  • Growing demand for Stream support on shared data use cases highlights the need for a clearer triage and prioritisation approach.
  • Members and observers felt there were certain items that should be taken into consideration, such as scope clarification (open vs shared data), the importance of FOI/EIR alignment, and maintaining opt‑in/opt‑out flexibility.
  • Energy sector learnings highlight the importance of common pattern libraries and Trust Frameworks to minimise cost and legal complexity.
  • Cross‑sector use cases may present future opportunities and should be considered in long‑term design thinking.
• It was discussed that:
  • The bids process requires refinement, including criteria such as value, repeatability, resource impact, technology implications, and avoiding parallel infrastructures.
  • A scoring matrix for shared data use cases could include economic, social and environmental value, friction reduction, legal complexity, and organisational readiness.
  • A Trust Framework model separating identity assurance from Scheme rules could lower future cost and improve cross‑sector interoperability.
  • Sector legal engagement will be challenging but early use case examples could build confidence and reduce friction.
  • Further knowledge‑sharing and workshops are needed to deepen understanding of Trust Frameworks and scheme governance.

Next meeting: Tuesday 21 April 2026 10:00-12:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.

Date: Monday 23 February 2026 13:00-15:00 GMT

Location: online

Co-Chairs: Gavin Starks (IB1); Hannah Gilbert (British Business Bank)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims 

1. Agree on updated vision and mission
2. Understand 2026 roadmap
3. Update on DOC and AG
4. Commit to amplifying case studies
5. Identify funding sources

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • Case studies are the critical success metric for 2026. The ambition is to secure at least five examples that demonstrate real-world application.
  • Alignment with the Net Zero Council and the Smart Data Council agenda should continue, positioning Perseus as an exemplar of Smart Data implementation and Net Zero innovation.
• It was noted that:
  • The 2025 AGM reflected strong engagement from key stakeholders and financial service providers (including incumbents NatWest, Barclays and Lloyds and challenger banks).
  • Language has evolved to “embedded sustainable finance”, with continued emphasis on SME impact.
  • Sandbox learnings (AG2) identified and resolved integration challenges (e.g. with certificate authentication, improved documentation and clarity of roles, setup guides, tooling and specifications have been developed in response).
  • Legal updates (AG3) incorporate gas into permission text, clarify CAP-initiated (two-click) and FSP-initiated (single-click) consent journeys; Scheme agreement documentation has been consolidated; changes remain compliant with prior external legal advice.
  • Annual renewals remain the current funding model, with forecast renewals on track but cashflow risk recognised and multi-annual renewals should be considered.
  • The relationship with B4NZ (formerly ‘Bankers for Net Zero’) was recognised as having been supportive in the formation of the programme, and there is no ongoing relationship with that initiative.
  • Adam Jackson has accepted the role of DOC Chair.
• It was discussed that:
  • The proposed new vision, “Embedded sustainable finance for SMEs”, provides a clear and memorable direction of travel. Further refinement of mission language will be considered to ensure terminology resonates with SMEs.
  • The SME focus remains strategically valuable for maintaining clarity and discipline. Discussion included whether anchoring exclusively on SMEs may constrain broader use cases and it was noted that related initiatives (e.g. ib1.org/Orion and ib1.org/carbon-commons) had been created as channels to help develop ideas without distracting from Perseus’ core mission.
  • Case study development faces practical barriers: delays often arise from internal processes and time constraints, rather than inherent SME reluctance. It was noted that the majority SMEs day-to-day concerns are focussed on cash, not sustainability, and that Perseus’ strategy to reduce both cost and friction for SMEs (including ‘taking solutions to where the SME already are’) was the correct approach.

Next meeting: Monday 18 May 2026 13:00-15:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.

Date: 24 February 2026 10:00-11:30 GMT

Location: Online

Co-Chairs: Lucy Chambers (IB1); Darren Anderson (NWL)

Secretariat: Icebreaker One 

Meeting Aims

1. Endorse the Q2 outcomes
2. Endorsement for CReDO data standardisation
3. Accelerating the decision towards sharing agreement templates

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • There were no significant concerns with the overall approach; however, the primary delivery risk identified was engagement with internal legal teams.
  • There’s value in the development of reusable artefacts and templates to avoid repeated drafting and to help colleagues engage legal teams more effectively.
• It was noted that:
  • A decision was made to continue with Esri on a reduced basis, with the cost totalling £27,000, down from £45,000 in year 1 and 2 of the project.
  • Q2 outcomes were presented for endorsement, including:
    • progressing data sharing agreements (created and signed) and sharing progress on shared data; 
    • technology / data sharing infrastructure best practice to CaSTco extension funding project
  • The next CReDO workshops are on hold, pending a further funding decision.
  • A case study on the Perseus data sharing scheme was presented as an example of how multilateral data-sharing arrangements and governance structures have been implemented elsewhere.
  • The working group outlined its approach to data-sharing agreements, including developing a decision framework and questionnaire to guide organisations on appropriate sharing mechanisms, categorising data by risk level, and creating a modular template agreement that could be adapted by participating organisations.
• It was discussed that:
  • There are risks associated with combining datasets and the need for legal and security considerations to be embedded within the framework.
  • It might be worth convening legal stakeholders together, potentially at the Innovation Festival, to help develop draft agreements and accelerate buy-in across water companies.

Next meeting: Tuesday 7 April 2026 10:00-11:30 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: Tuesday 17 February 2026 11:00-12:30 GMT

Location: In person & online

Co-Chairs: Sara Vaughan & Gavin Starks

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims 

1. Support for the use case for 2026
2. Support the governance process
3. Connect us with new potential members

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • The 2026 roadmap will move from engagement and prioritisation early in the year to implementation activity later in the year.
  • Remaining organisations will be asked to complete outstanding terms of reference signatures, where that is possible.
• It was noted that:
  • An update was given on activities since the last SG, including:
    • Government and Ofgem activity is increasingly focused on ensuring greater visibility of distributed and flexible energy assets.
    • Elexon has gone live with its flexibility market facilitator role, and the new Flexibility Commissioner has been announced.
    • NESO and XOSERVE have announced a strategic partnership on consolidation and sharing of gas data which will help facilitate and streamline whole-system planning.
    • Ofgem published its Forward Workplan for 2026/7.
    • RECCO published the design consultation on its Consumer Consent solution.
    • The intended publication of the DESNZ/Ofgem Digitalisation Vision in Q1 2026 was confirmed.
  • The Smart Data Council has resumed and is developing UK guidance for smart data schemes.
  • The Perseus programme has broad participation and commercial offerings are expected from 2026, with a £5-10bn SME opportunity by 2030.
  • Feedback to the Open Data access controls paper has been positive across the sector.
  • The 2026 priority use cases will focus on UC04 – cross-sector storm response or UC05 – industrial and commercial flexibility.
• It was discussed that:
  • Practical implementation and real use cases may be more persuasive to policymakers than theoretical proposals.
  • A Community Interest Company (CIC) based SPV funding model could support multi-year funding and participation from multiple network operators but, given IB1’s non-profit, public benefit status, there was not a strong case to change to such a model.

Next meeting: Thursday 7 May 2026 14:30-16:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.

Date: 19 February 2026 10:00-11:30 GMT

Location: Online

Co-Chairs: Charlotte Hillenbrand (IB1), Alex Hughes (Portsmouth Water), Andy Johnston (Scottish Water) 

Secretariat: Icebreaker One 

Meeting Aims

1. Review the feasibility of the Q2 outcomes 
2. Prioritise Q2 use cases

Summary

• It was agreed that:
  • Breakout group outputs indicate that initial focus is expected to fall on Water Situation Reports and Smart Metering use cases.
  • Recruitment for the next Change Champion cohort will begin in Q2, adopting the new six month model.
• It was noted that:
  • Alignment on Stream’s long‑term ambition to 2030 will require a clearer narrative and a shared understanding of data‑maturity expectations.
  • There is a need for earlier visibility of future expectations, including DEFRA’s emerging monitoring direction, and Stream could provide a coordinated route for this.
  • Q2 planning includes further development of CReDO, water‑efficiency workshops, and refreshed ecosystem communications
    • Use case and dataset activities will require higher member engagement than ecosystem‑level work.
• It was discussed that:
  • Water Situation Reports present a clear opportunity to move from PDF‑based reporting to consistent, reusable datasets aligned with EA‑sourced information.
  • Smart Metering requires alignment on core data items and consideration of processing‑scale challenges, reflecting varied rollout maturity across companies.
  • DWMP, WRMP and WINEP remain important but carry higher complexity due to predefined reporting formats and the need to reconcile published plans with underlying datasets.
  • Members emphasised ensuring new datasets are interoperable and sensitive to internal organisational capacity and timelines.

Next meeting: Thursday 2 April 2026 10:00-11:30 GMT

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: 10 February 2026 10:00-11:0 GMT

Location: online

Chair: Frank Wales

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims:

1. Summarise Sandbox learnings
2. Feedback from members on Perseus-ready integration
3. Discuss change management best practice
4. Present draft certificate revocation specification
5. Explore workshop topics in 2026

Summary:

It was agreed that:

• Lessons from sandbox integrations would continue to inform incremental improvements to documentation, tooling, and processes.
• Future change proposals would aim to present technical changes more concretely, including clearer linkage between definitive specifications, and registry entries.

It was noted that:

• Four categories of issues had emerged from recent sandbox integrations:
  • Certificate authentication challenges, including confusion around directory usage and certificate expiry on services.
  • Conceptual understanding gaps, particularly around the FAPI 2 security model and Perseus’ role as an enabler of connections rather than a data provider.
  • Areas where documentation required clarification, including subdomain queries, CAP-to-EDP selection, and OAuth flow setup.
  • Technical usability issues with the directory service, including sandbox labelling and endpoint behaviour.
• A range of documentation and support improvements had been implemented in response, including workflow diagrams, role-specific setup guides (CAP and EDP) , a CLI testing tool for EDPs, and a directory usage guide with screenshots.

It was discussed that:

• IB1 recommends a Certificate Revocation List (CRL) approach over OCSP for certificate withdrawal, on the basis of simplicity, lower operational complexity and improved privacy characteristics; we are accepting review and feedback on this until February 27 (see actions)
• Git-based workflows were seen as helpful for proposing and reviewing technical changes (such as API updates), but not sufficient on their own to describe multi-environment availability or long-term governance state.
• Future change proposals could benefit from clearer presentation of “before and after” states, including diffs against OpenAPI specifications, supported by explanatory documents.

Next meeting: Tuesday 28 April 2026 10:00-11:00 GMT

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: 9 February 2026 10:00-11:30 GMT

Location: online

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims:

1. Orientate for 2026
2. Agree workshops
3. Review market based carbon accounting concept

Summary:

It was agreed that:

• The primary focus for the year ahead is on concrete customer use cases and case studies.
• Individual follow‑ups will be undertaken with Members to map internal stakeholders and decision‑making processes.
• Each Member will prioritise identification of at least one potential ‘lighthouse’ customer.
• Further work will document and consult on the proposed market‑based emissions methodology, including supporting FAQs.

It was noted that:

• 2026 is the key go‑to‑market period, translating existing technical capability into demonstrable customer value.
• Constructive early conversations have taken place with the Financial Conduct Authority regarding Perseus’ positioning with Smart Data/Open Finance initiatives.
• to broaden scope beyond lending to include savings, asset finance, and other financial products, the phrase “access to finance” has evolved to “financial incentives”
• £5–10bn potential addressable  market is seen as ‘directionally credible’ and indicates substantial value opportunities for all stakeholders.

It was discussed that:

• From an SME perspective, particularly micro‑businesses, sustainability and net zero language has limited traction
• SMEs prioritise cost reductions, operational efficiency, and resilience, with emissions reduction often viewed as a secondary benefit. Perseus’ position as embedded sustainable finance is tactically aligned with this. 
• A key opportunity to increase TAM is ‘taking incentives directly to where the SMEs are’ (i.e. in their accounting and analysis applications) 
• Large financial institutions face material internal constraints, with implementation timelines often measured in years rather than months
• Technology is not the primary blocker; the key gap lies in the business case and incentive structures and this will inform our go‑to‑market approach, and clarity of financial value.

Next meeting: Monday 20 April 2026 10:00-11:30 GMT

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.

Date: 5 February 2026 10:00-10:45 GMT

Location: online

Co-Chairs: Laura Townshend, (IB1); Zarina Banu, (Tide)

Secretariat: IB1

Meeting Aims:

1. Understand the Perseus 2026 Roadmap
2. Feedback from the AGM
3. Sign off a 2026 comms plan

Summary:

It was agreed that:

• 2026 comms will pivot more strongly to detailed, high‑quality case studies as a central tool to build trust and drive membership, rather than relying primarily on generic messaging or high‑level testimonials.
• The co-chair will share existing best‑practice case‑study and member‑spotlight formats she has developed (at Tide) with the IB1 team to inform Perseus templates.

It was noted that:

• The Perseus AGM was positively received
• The core comms outcomes for 2026 remain: Building trust and confidence in Perseus and making a consistent, compelling case for new and renewed memberships
• The communications plan for 2026 was presented and agreed
• High‑quality, detailed case studies are better suited than broad messaging to demonstrate ease of integration, tangible benefits, and business value.

It was discussed that:

• Perseus’ vision and mission will evolve in 2026, with suggestion by one member that this ought to be amended to also highlight benefits
• New case‑study formats could include a multi‑part journey following one CAP across the year
• Physical/in‑person or live formats (e.g. roundtables, workshops) can generate richer engagement and large amounts of reusable digital content

Next meeting: Thursday 26 March 2026 10:00-10:45 GMT

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Advisory Group Members.