Activists in Kent call for industry change after government water council announcement
SOS Whitstable say they aren't convinced the plan will improve national water issues
Activists from Kent have responded to the government's announcement for potential new water councils across England.
New Water Councils
Yesterday the government said that communities would be getting a 'stronger say' in the ways billions of pounds were invested in water and flooding through the establishment of eight regional water councils.
In a statement they government said that:
'Decisions about the water system are taken nationally, despite communities facing very different challenges. From Lake Windermere, where discharge of sewage has damaged local tourism, or in Cambridge, where drought and water shortages have stalled growth – local areas have not had enough influence over the decisions that directly affect them.
'The new councils will change that, giving communities and local leaders a stronger voice over priorities including sewage and water quality, flooding, drought and future water supplies. Mayors will also receive new powers through the strengthened Water Bill to hold water companies to account for their performance.'
Prime Minister Andy Burnham added:
“I know how desperate people are for change when it comes to water. I share their frustration at seeing sewage and pollution blight our rivers, lakes, and seas, while decisions about their local areas are taken miles away.
“That’s not right. So for the first time, local people will have a real say over what they need from their water company, whether that is cleaning up polluted rivers, building new reservoirs or protecting homes from floods.
“That is what moving power closer to communities looks like. Making sure local voices are heard and local priorities come first.”
But in Kent, responses have been sceptical.
Kent Response
Co-founder of SOS Whitstable Ed Aceston said he questioned what the scheme was promising, saying:
"We would question if the government and the regulators can't hold the water companies to account, what powers are mayors and local councils going to have that's going to separate them from that?
"Ultimately, we're still of the belief that the whole industry needs to be returned to public ownership. And until that happens, we're not convinced how this is going to help the situation."
He added that the decision to split powers on a local level could create further divides in service:
"It's going to create an odd situation where we're potentially going to have different rules and regulations and restrictions placed on water companies in different areas of the country.
"This could work positively in terms of the water industry, in the sense that if some regions are stricter than others, then it could prove that we need to clamp down on water companies more.
"But ultimately, we think there needs to be far reaching regulations across the entire country. And we're just not convinced that having these councils is really going to make enough of a difference."
Further Information on the scheme itself
Local leaders have been asked to submit proposals on how they want to run the new bodies by the end of the year. Each council will then draw up a plan setting out the biggest pressures on its region’s water system, the choices that need to be made and the public and private investment that can help address them.
The reforms are part of the Prime Minister's drive to move power out of Westminster and give communities greater control over the services and investment that shape their lives.
Environment Secretary, Dame Angela Eagle, said:
“For decades, the water industry has failed to work for the people and places it was meant to serve.
“I am determined to put the public at the heart of decision-making – shaping what their bills will be spent on, so they can see real differences happening in their communities.
“I share the country’s desire to see change now, and that’s why we are creating a radical new water system that will put public interest first.”
Government say they are pushing ahead with reforms to overhaul a system in which shareholders never lose and customers never win. They added that Water companies are being held to higher account with new powers for automatic fines, and the introduction of criminal liability for water bosses who cover up or hide sewage spills.
Further details on the Government’s approach to the water industry will be set out in the 10-year plan for Britain, to be published later this year.