Latest news with #sewagespill
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Southern Water's boss slammed by Environment Secretary for accepting £691,000 pay hike
ENVIRONMENT Secretary Steve Reed yesterday slammed Southern Water's boss for accepting a £691,000 pay hike. Lawrence Gosden, who has run the embattled utility firm since 2022, was awarded the 'long-term incentive' scheme on top of his £687,000 salary. 2 Despite only receiving half the bumper bonus so far, Mr Gosden's total earnings have soared past the £1million mark. Steve Reed said the that the payout was 'not deserved' and 'sends the wrong message' as customer trust plummets. He said: 'Trust is at rock bottom. ' Southern Water hasn't performed well enough for that kind of pay. 'He should give it up.' The backlash comes just weeks after Southern Water was banned from paying bonuses following a sewage spill in the New Forest, an environmental breach known as a category one incident. Under new government rules, firms that pollute or fail to meet standards can't dish out bonuses. But Southern Water has insisted Mr Gosden's payout isn't a 'bonus' but part of a performance-linked scheme launched in 2023. Doubling Compensation for Water Issues: Government's Big Move 2
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Southern Water boss pay rise 'outrageous', says environment secretary
The environment secretary has urged Southern Water's chief executive to turn down a pay rise worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, saying it was not "merited".Lawrence Gosden was awarded £691,000 as part of a long-term incentive plan this year, on top of his fixed pay of £687,000, according to the company's annual is understood that he has only received half of this payment this year, taking his total pay to more than £ Secretary Steve Reed told Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg it was "outrageous" and suggested the water company to "think about how this looks to their customers". He said: "Trust between the customers and the water companies is at the lowest point probably ever and, by paying their senior executives rises of that kind, what message are they sending to their customers?"Asked whether Mr Gosden should turn down the pay rise, Mr Reed said: "I think it would be right if he did.""I don't think Southern Water has performed well enough for that kind of pay increase to be merited," he added. Southern Water was banned from paying bonuses last month over a so-called category 1 sewage spill in the New Forest, Hampshire, in August new rules, companies are banned from paying bonuses if they do not meet environmental, consumer or financial standards, or are convicted of a criminal Water has insisted the payment to Mr Gosden is not a bonus but part of a long-term incentive plan set up in 2023, and would be paid directly by shareholders.A company spokesperson said its chief executive's pay and benefits were decided by a remuneration committee "following protocols and rules set out by Ofwat and in accordance with the law".They added: "Lawrence Gosden's 2025 package includes a relocation allowance and long-term incentive plan paid by shareholders, which marks improvements made during the delivery of our turnaround plan. "Both of these payments represent common industry practice." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Swimmers told to avoid seafront due to sewage
Swimmers have been advised not to bathe at a town's beaches due to a sewage spill. The Environment Agency said its officers had attended Lowestoft North and Lowestoft South beaches in Suffolk on Monday. East Suffolk Council said water testing was under way and further updates would be provided. The Water UK website showed that a storm overflow had started operating on Sunday afternoon and had continued into Monday. A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "We are working closely with partner organisations to coordinate our response to the sewage spill at Lowestoft. "We have updated the Swimfo website to advise members of the public against bathing at both Lowestoft North and Lowestoft South beaches. "Our officers attended site yesterday evening and are attending again today. "We will look to update Swimfo when the situation has improved." The Environment Agency's website evaluated the beaches at Lowestoft as having "good bathing water quality" following samples taken between 2021 and 2024. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. River pollution suffocating the sea, campaigners say Toy car 'parked illegally' blocks sewer Bosses' bonuses banned at six water companies Swimfo
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Lowestoft swimmers told to avoid seafront due to sewage
Swimmers have been advised not to bathe at a town's beaches due to a sewage Environment Agency said its officers had attended Lowestoft North and Lowestoft South beaches in Suffolk on Suffolk Council said water testing was under way and further updates would be provided. The Water UK website showed that a storm overflow had started operating on Sunday afternoon and had continued into Monday. A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "We are working closely with partner organisations to coordinate our response to the sewage spill at Lowestoft."We have updated the Swimfo website to advise members of the public against bathing at both Lowestoft North and Lowestoft South beaches."Our officers attended site yesterday evening and are attending again today."We will look to update Swimfo when the situation has improved."The Environment Agency's website evaluated the beaches at Lowestoft as having "good bathing water quality" following samples taken between 2021 and 2024. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Tankers brought in to help 'keep taps flowing' in Surrey
Tankers have been brought in to "help keep taps flowing" for customers in a part of Surrey, a water company has said. Thames Water said hot weather and high demand were presenting "challenges" in maintaining water supplies in south Guildford. It urged people in the area to conserve water wherever possible, such as by taking shorter showers or turning off the tap while brushing their teeth. "Our teams continue to work around the clock in the heat to deliver high-quality drinking water to our customers' taps," Thames Water said in a statement. "Fortunately, our water resources remain in a reasonably healthy state," it added. The South East has experienced scorching temperatures this week, with Tuesday confirmed by the BBC Weather Centre as the hottest day of the year so far. The supply issues come as the beleaguered water company, which hiked bills for customers earlier this year, faces continued heavy criticism over its performance. In May, Thames Water was fined £122.7m for breaching rules over sewage spills and shareholder payouts - the biggest penalty ever issued by water industry regulator with £20bn in debt, it serves about a quarter of the UK's population, mostly across London and parts of southern England.
