Bonus ban for water bosses who break guidelines with unlawful sewage spills | EUROtoday

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Water firm bosses are set to be banned from receiving bonuses if their corporations let unlawful sewage spills pollute seashores and rivers.

The setting secretary referred to as on water firm bosses to take accountability for “inexcusable breaches” damaging the setting whereas saying the ban on Sunday.

Just final 12 months, ten water bosses obtained bonuses totalling £2.5 million but uncooked sewage was discharged a median of 1,090 instances a day within the 12 months to November 2023, in keeping with Surfers Against Sewage.

At the identical time, corporations set out plans to hike shoppers’ payments by about £156 per 12 months to pay for investments to stop 140,000 sewage overflow spills a 12 months.

Regulator Ofwat will likely be taking ahead a session to outline the standards for a ban which might apply to all government board members and Chief Executives. It is anticipated to return into impact later this 12 months, topic to the session.

“No-one should profit from illegal behaviour and it’s time that water company bosses took responsibility for that,” setting secretary Steve Barclay stated.

“Tougher action is needed to address poor performance by water companies, which is why I am pleased Ofwat is going further today on bonus payments. In cases where companies have committed criminal breaches there is no justification whatsoever for paying out bonuses. It needs to stop now.”

He added that he can be setting out extra element on additional steps to wash up British waters.

The results of Ofwat’s session will outline key standards for the coverage later this 12 months.

It may embrace profitable prosecution for the 2 most critical classes of air pollution, similar to inflicting vital air pollution at a showering web site or conservation space, or the place an organization has been discovered responsible of significant administration failings, in keeping with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Campaigners, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have lengthy been calling for the coverage.

Labour’s shadow setting secretary Steve Reed stated: “Once again Labour leads, the Conservatives follow.

“Labour called for the water regulator to be given new powers to block bonuses for polluting water bosses last year. After doing nothing for 14 years, the Conservatives have now been shamed into adopting Labour’s plan.

“But they must go further and back Labour’s whole plan to clean up our rivers, and ensure that executives who are responsible for repeated illegal sewage dumping, face criminal charges.”

Labour has stated that underneath its plans, Ofwat may have blocked six out of 9 water bosses’ bonuses final 12 months.

Meanwhile, campaigners took to social media to have fun the brand new coverage. Surfers Against Sewage wrote on X: “We’re winning this fight. Our pressure is paying. Let’s keep it up #EndSewagePollution”.