Tom Gordon MP ‘gobsmacked’ by Yorkshire Water’s plans to hike bills by 46%

Harrogate and Knaresborough’s MP, Tom Gordon, has said he is ‘gobsmacked’ by Yorkshire Water’s plans to hike bills by 46% over the next 5 years. In July, Yorkshire Water revealed their intention to raise bills by 25% over the same period. 

 

Today’s announcement came along with nearly all water companies in England and Wales revealing plans to hike bills even further. The suggested rise in bills comes after Yorkshire Water was fined in August for sewage dumping, and it was revealed that it had paid its CEO nearly £400,000 in a bonus. In recent weeks, it was also revealed that Yorkshire Water was amongst one of the worst at dealing with customer complaints. 

The Liberal Democrats have been repeatedly calling for a new water regulator and bans on bonuses and shareholder payouts over the past few years. The suggested further bill rises also come in the midst of a cost of living crisis. 

Commenting, Tom said: 

“I’m gobsmacked. That Yorkshire Water would even suggest such a bill rise is madness. This is yet another insult to their customers. We see massive bonuses, fines and next to no action on issues like sewage dumping, and yet Yorkshire Water still feel that bill rises are justified. They’re not. 

“What’s worse is that this comes in the middle of a cost of living crisis. Have Yorkshire Water even considered their customers? How can their customers feel at all reassured that the extra cash coming out their pocket will actually be used to fix anything?

“Clearly this company is broken. We need action from the Government to sort out this crisis. The water industry should be banned from shareholder payouts, paying bonuses to their executives and bills rises until sewage dumping ends once and for all, and we see vital investment in their systems. Ofwat must not approve this bill rise.”