Thames Water shortlisted for string of awards before being hit with £122.7m fine
The debt-ridden water firm was this week slapped with the huge penalty by watchdog Ofwat after breaking rules on sewage and dividend payouts - after being shortlisted for 12 industry awards
Shamed Thames Water was shortlisted for a string of awards before being hit with a record £122.7 million fine.
The debt-ridden firm was this week slapped with the watchdog penalty after breaking rules on sewage and dividend payouts. But we can reveal the disgraced company was earlier picked as a finalist no fewer than 14 times at an industry awards ceremony being held next month in Birmingham.
It comes as footage shows the beleaguered firm's boss moaning about regulator Ofwat before sitting back relaxing watching cricket at work. The Water Industry Awards features a drinks reception, three-course dinner, as well as post-ceremony celebrations – with carriages at 1am.
'Platinum' tables for ten are priced at nearly £6,000 and include wine as well as a choice of either champagne or beer. There is even port to go with a cheese board and crackers. Single spots for the awards, said to feature 'a high-profile presenter', cost as much as £599 each.
The Lib Dems ' Environment spokesperson Tim Farron said: "The last thing Thames Water deserves is a medal and it is completely scandalous that they are being praised after another shockingly bad year for the failing company which has just been fined for sewage pollution and payout breaches. Customers deserve affordable bills, clean waters and well maintained infrastructure. Thanks to Thames Water's incompetence, this is far from what customers get. Instead of prizes, the government should put Thames Water into special administration to manage their mountain of debt, and turn it into a public benefit company, so that customers finally start to see some value for money."
CEO of charity River Action, James Wallace, added: 'It's frankly bizarre for Thames Water to be basking in awards season while our rivers are still full of human waste. We're not killjoys and when the pollution stops, we'll be the first to applaud. But celebration must follow accountability, not distraction from a record-breaking environmental failure.' And Green MP Ellie Chowns said of Thames Water: 'If there was an awards category for sheer cheek, they would be runaway winners. As long as private companies profit while polluting our waterways, this will keep happening.'
A probe into Thames' sewage treatment works found "a series of failures by the company to build, maintain and operate adequate infrastructure," water regulator Ofwat said. The money must be paid by Thames and its investors, not customers, the watchdog added. The penalty is broken down into £104.5 million for the sewage investigation, plus £18.2 million for breaking rules over dividend payments.
Earlier this week, Ofwat's chief executive David Black said: "This is a clear-cut case where Thames Water has let down its customers and failed to protect the environment." In stark contrast, Thames Water is a finalist in a dozen categories at the next month's awards – including three times for alliance or partnership of the year. It is also a finalist in the circular economy, customer initiative, groundbreaker, health and safety initiative, wastewater innovation project and leakage initiative categories. Other categories it is a finalist in include digitalisation project, asset management initiative, net zero carbon initiative, smart water networks, and water efficiency project.
The footage of Thames Water boss Chris Weston watching cricket featured in a behind-the-scenes BBC documentary aired earlier this year. The CEO complains about "invasive" regulator Ofwat before viewing a clip of England playing while he sits at an office desk. 'They're getting more and more interested and intrusive around dividends… it's quite surprising,' he says. He adds: 'I think they have all the powers they need. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?' The camera then cuts to show him clicking a mouse to enjoy a cricket clip on the computer screen in front of him. Mr Weston is shown enlarging the footage full-screen so he can watch before relaxing back into his chair.
Water firms have faced public outrage over the extent of pollution, rising bills, high dividends, and executive pay and bonuses. Thames hiked consumer water bills for its 16 million customers by an average of 31% in April. A Thames Water spokesperson said: "We are delighted to see our colleagues positively recognised for the work they do 24/7 to keep taps flowing and toilets flushing by being shortlisted for… industry awards, demonstrating our commitment to deliver life's essential service.
"It is important that we recognise our people so that we can continue to retain talent in our industry. Over the next five years we will deliver a record amount of investment to address our ageing infrastructure as we remain focused on turning around our performance to deliver for customers, communities and the environment.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Natural England boss reveals concern over budget for nature restoration
Tony Juniper, chairman of Natural England, said the 'very tight' spending settlement expected in light of current economic stresses will pose 'big challenges' for those working to reverse the country's decline in nature. Environment Secretary Steve Reed is understood to have settled the department's budget for the next three years with the Treasury on Thursday. It comes ahead of Rachel Reeves announcing her first multi-year spending review settlement as Chancellor on June 11. The Government has recently come under fierce criticism from environmentalists over proposed changes to nature protections in the planning bill and recent reports that the budget for nature-friendly farming would be slashed. Speaking to the PA news agency on Friday, Mr Juniper said: 'I am concerned about the budget side in particular because the job that we need to do is very significant.' The Natural England chairman cited the levels of ambition in Government nature targets such as committing to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 – known as 30×30. 'We will work within the envelope that we have, recognising the country does face very serious economic stresses at the moment,' he said. 'But it does concern me naturally in terms of the scale of the task ahead and what we need to do.' Mr Juniper outlined some 'remedies' to receiving limited resources, such as working at a more strategic scale to increase impact and working in partnerships with land managers, statutory bodies and local government. Natural England will continue to highlight the extent to which nature will help the country meet multiple goals, including food production, infrastructure and housing, he later added. A view of Silverhand Estate in Gravesend, Kent in the new nature reserve (Silverhand Estate/Natural England/PA) 'Obviously if we are going to achieve the goals that we need, it is going to be really, really important to move beyond the framing of nature being a block to economic development, and seeing that nature is essential for economic development,' he said. Green groups recently hit out at the Chancellor for 'leading an ideological charge against nature' after she suggested some nature protections are a blocker to development. Asked about the criticism, he said: 'I can't really comment on that. I would say that nature is essential for the country's economic and social wellbeing, and we have evidence to prove that. 'We have a lot of evidence to confirm how nature is really a minor factor in limiting the ambitions we have to renew our infrastructure and build houses.' His comments came as Natural England declared 800 hectares of north Kent a national nature reserve, which means different stakeholders work together on conservation and restoration efforts across the landscape. Speaking from the new North Kent Woods and Downs national nature reserve on Friday, he said: 'We are in one of the most pressured parts of England. 'So being able to blend this significant area of nature protection and nature recovery into a landscape that's going to be receiving tens of thousands of more houses, plus major infrastructure in the form of the Lower Thames Crossing, this is a great example – not only of nature recovery – but also doing that in the context of these other essential demands that the country is placing on the land.' Nature minister Mary Creagh told stakeholders at the launch event in Shorne Wood Country Park: 'Nature is at the core of what we're doing.' Natural England chairman, Tony Juniper, at the beaver wetlands area near Cullompton, Devon (Ben Birchall/PA) Later asked Mr Juniper's concerns over the budget, she told the PA news agency: 'I understand (the) Secretary of State settled yesterday. 'So we won't comment on speculation but I'm confident that we will have the resources we need to reach our targets.' Ms Creagh denied the Government has been prioritising other areas at the expense of the natural environment. 'Look at our actions,' she said, citing announcements of the first National Forest in more than 30 years, the first wild beaver release in over 400 years, mapping every single tree in the landscape and getting the biggest ever nature-friendly farming budget out the door to farmers. 'This is about opening up a conversation and making sure, for example, on reservoirs, that we have the drinking water that the nation needs, that we have the housing that the nation needs, but at the same time protecting and restoring 30% of land and seas by 2030,' she said. 'We're always keen to work with environmental groups, and we're always keen to get things right so where there are criticisms, we will listen.' On the new national nature reserve, she said: 'This is all about bringing people closer to nature, and that's one of the guiding missions of this Government – is to make sure that people living in urban areas have access to really high-quality green space and nature, rich and wildlife, rich spaces right on their doorstep.'
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Thames Water shortlisted for string of awards before being hit with £122.7m fine
The debt-ridden water firm was this week slapped with the huge penalty by watchdog Ofwat after breaking rules on sewage and dividend payouts - after being shortlisted for 12 industry awards Shamed Thames Water was shortlisted for a string of awards before being hit with a record £122.7 million fine. The debt-ridden firm was this week slapped with the watchdog penalty after breaking rules on sewage and dividend payouts. But we can reveal the disgraced company was earlier picked as a finalist no fewer than 14 times at an industry awards ceremony being held next month in Birmingham. It comes as footage shows the beleaguered firm's boss moaning about regulator Ofwat before sitting back relaxing watching cricket at work. The Water Industry Awards features a drinks reception, three-course dinner, as well as post-ceremony celebrations – with carriages at 1am. 'Platinum' tables for ten are priced at nearly £6,000 and include wine as well as a choice of either champagne or beer. There is even port to go with a cheese board and crackers. Single spots for the awards, said to feature 'a high-profile presenter', cost as much as £599 each. The Lib Dems ' Environment spokesperson Tim Farron said: "The last thing Thames Water deserves is a medal and it is completely scandalous that they are being praised after another shockingly bad year for the failing company which has just been fined for sewage pollution and payout breaches. Customers deserve affordable bills, clean waters and well maintained infrastructure. Thanks to Thames Water's incompetence, this is far from what customers get. Instead of prizes, the government should put Thames Water into special administration to manage their mountain of debt, and turn it into a public benefit company, so that customers finally start to see some value for money." CEO of charity River Action, James Wallace, added: 'It's frankly bizarre for Thames Water to be basking in awards season while our rivers are still full of human waste. We're not killjoys and when the pollution stops, we'll be the first to applaud. But celebration must follow accountability, not distraction from a record-breaking environmental failure.' And Green MP Ellie Chowns said of Thames Water: 'If there was an awards category for sheer cheek, they would be runaway winners. As long as private companies profit while polluting our waterways, this will keep happening.' A probe into Thames' sewage treatment works found "a series of failures by the company to build, maintain and operate adequate infrastructure," water regulator Ofwat said. The money must be paid by Thames and its investors, not customers, the watchdog added. The penalty is broken down into £104.5 million for the sewage investigation, plus £18.2 million for breaking rules over dividend payments. Earlier this week, Ofwat's chief executive David Black said: "This is a clear-cut case where Thames Water has let down its customers and failed to protect the environment." In stark contrast, Thames Water is a finalist in a dozen categories at the next month's awards – including three times for alliance or partnership of the year. It is also a finalist in the circular economy, customer initiative, groundbreaker, health and safety initiative, wastewater innovation project and leakage initiative categories. Other categories it is a finalist in include digitalisation project, asset management initiative, net zero carbon initiative, smart water networks, and water efficiency project. The footage of Thames Water boss Chris Weston watching cricket featured in a behind-the-scenes BBC documentary aired earlier this year. The CEO complains about "invasive" regulator Ofwat before viewing a clip of England playing while he sits at an office desk. 'They're getting more and more interested and intrusive around dividends… it's quite surprising,' he says. He adds: 'I think they have all the powers they need. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?' The camera then cuts to show him clicking a mouse to enjoy a cricket clip on the computer screen in front of him. Mr Weston is shown enlarging the footage full-screen so he can watch before relaxing back into his chair. Water firms have faced public outrage over the extent of pollution, rising bills, high dividends, and executive pay and bonuses. Thames hiked consumer water bills for its 16 million customers by an average of 31% in April. A Thames Water spokesperson said: "We are delighted to see our colleagues positively recognised for the work they do 24/7 to keep taps flowing and toilets flushing by being shortlisted for… industry awards, demonstrating our commitment to deliver life's essential service. "It is important that we recognise our people so that we can continue to retain talent in our industry. Over the next five years we will deliver a record amount of investment to address our ageing infrastructure as we remain focused on turning around our performance to deliver for customers, communities and the environment.'
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Natural England boss reveals concern over budget for nature restoration
Tony Juniper, chairman of Natural England, said the 'very tight' spending settlement expected in light of current economic stresses will pose 'big challenges' for those working to reverse the country's decline in nature. Environment Secretary Steve Reed is understood to have settled the department's budget for the next three years with the Treasury on Thursday. It comes ahead of Rachel Reeves announcing her first multi-year spending review settlement as Chancellor on June 11. The Government has recently come under fierce criticism from environmentalists over proposed changes to nature protections in the planning bill and recent reports that the budget for nature-friendly farming would be slashed. Speaking to the PA news agency on Friday, Mr Juniper said: 'I am concerned about the budget side in particular because the job that we need to do is very significant.' The Natural England chairman cited the levels of ambition in Government nature targets such as committing to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 – known as 30×30. 'We will work within the envelope that we have, recognising the country does face very serious economic stresses at the moment,' he said. 'But it does concern me naturally in terms of the scale of the task ahead and what we need to do.' Mr Juniper outlined some 'remedies' to receiving limited resources, such as working at a more strategic scale to increase impact and working in partnerships with land managers, statutory bodies and local government. Natural England will continue to highlight the extent to which nature will help the country meet multiple goals, including food production, infrastructure and housing, he later added. A view of Silverhand Estate in Gravesend, Kent in the new nature reserve (Silverhand Estate/Natural England/PA) 'Obviously if we are going to achieve the goals that we need, it is going to be really, really important to move beyond the framing of nature being a block to economic development, and seeing that nature is essential for economic development,' he said. Green groups recently hit out at the Chancellor for 'leading an ideological charge against nature' after she suggested some nature protections are a blocker to development. Asked about the criticism, he said: 'I can't really comment on that. I would say that nature is essential for the country's economic and social wellbeing, and we have evidence to prove that. 'We have a lot of evidence to confirm how nature is really a minor factor in limiting the ambitions we have to renew our infrastructure and build houses.' His comments came as Natural England declared 800 hectares of north Kent a national nature reserve, which means different stakeholders work together on conservation and restoration efforts across the landscape. Speaking from the new North Kent Woods and Downs national nature reserve on Friday, he said: 'We are in one of the most pressured parts of England. 'So being able to blend this significant area of nature protection and nature recovery into a landscape that's going to be receiving tens of thousands of more houses, plus major infrastructure in the form of the Lower Thames Crossing, this is a great example – not only of nature recovery – but also doing that in the context of these other essential demands that the country is placing on the land.' Nature minister Mary Creagh told stakeholders at the launch event in Shorne Wood Country Park: 'Nature is at the core of what we're doing.' Natural England chairman, Tony Juniper, at the beaver wetlands area near Cullompton, Devon (Ben Birchall/PA) Later asked Mr Juniper's concerns over the budget, she told the PA news agency: 'I understand (the) Secretary of State settled yesterday. 'So we won't comment on speculation but I'm confident that we will have the resources we need to reach our targets.' Ms Creagh denied the Government has been prioritising other areas at the expense of the natural environment. 'Look at our actions,' she said, citing announcements of the first National Forest in more than 30 years, the first wild beaver release in over 400 years, mapping every single tree in the landscape and getting the biggest ever nature-friendly farming budget out the door to farmers. 'This is about opening up a conversation and making sure, for example, on reservoirs, that we have the drinking water that the nation needs, that we have the housing that the nation needs, but at the same time protecting and restoring 30% of land and seas by 2030,' she said. 'We're always keen to work with environmental groups, and we're always keen to get things right so where there are criticisms, we will listen.' On the new national nature reserve, she said: 'This is all about bringing people closer to nature, and that's one of the guiding missions of this Government – is to make sure that people living in urban areas have access to really high-quality green space and nature, rich and wildlife, rich spaces right on their doorstep.'
