Communities across England will get a bigger say over how water companies invest in their area under plans to put more power in local hands.
Eight new regional water councils will bring local leaders, customers and businesses together to set the priorities for their region, helping shape billions of pounds of investment in water and flood infrastructure.
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.
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.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
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.
Existing regional partnerships have already shown what can be achieved when decisions are shaped around local needs. Greater Manchester’s Integrated Water Management Plan has brought together planning, regulation and investment, with improved drainage helping support town-centre regeneration. In East Anglia, Water Resources East has brought partners together to tackle severe water scarcity, including the constraints it places on sustainable growth in Greater Cambridge.
The eight new regional water councils will build on that approach and embed it across England.
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.
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.
This comes after the Environment Secretary took the unprecedented step of setting clear expectations for the next Price Review, warning water companies they must provide better value for money for struggling households.
Government is pushing ahead with reforms to overhaul a system in which shareholders never lose and customers never win. 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.
SUPPORTIVE QUOTES:
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
The privatisation of water has been a disaster for our region, with household bills set to rise by over 40% after years of underinvestment in infrastructure to line the pockets of wealthy shareholders and executives.
I’ve long called for directly-elected Mayors to be able to hold water companies to account, influence their operations, and direct the money raised from fines to support those communities hit hardest by illegal sewage dumping.
Through this new regional water council, we will do everything we can to ensure that Yorkshire Water finally puts people above profit and helps us build a greener, more affordable region with cleaner rivers and lower bills.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said:
Water is fundamental to our communities, our environment, and our economy – and decisions about our water should reflect the needs of the people and places they affect. People rightly expect clean rivers, secure water supplies, and better protection from flooding – but feel unable to influence those things.
Giving Mayors and communities a stronger voice means we can push for cleaner rivers, greater resilience to flooding and drought, and the investment our region needs to grow. This is a positive step towards a water system that works better for local people.
Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said:
Regional control of water investment could be a victory for people and nature. England’s rivers, wetlands, and waterways are vital natural infrastructure, protecting communities from floods and droughts, supporting wildlife, and providing the clean water we all depend on. Greater regional control offers an opportunity to put people at the heart of decisions, hold polluters to account, and turn ambitious national goals into healthier rivers and real improvements on the ground.
To realise this potential, the new regional councils must have the powers and funding to deliver. They need to be able to invest in nature and curb pollution across agriculture, chemicals, and wastewater. The Prime Minister must also continue to show leadership, ensuring regional plans deliver the nationwide improvements that people and nature deserve.
Matthew Browne, Head of Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, said:
Putting communities at the heart of water management could finally turn the tide on our polluted rivers. By giving local leaders wide-ranging powers and bringing together all those with a stake in the water system, the Government can place freshwater recovery in the hands of people able to take the radical, comprehensive action needed to fix our water.
This is good news for communities, nature and the economy. Water is critical national infrastructure, and healthy, well- functioning rivers mean thriving wildlife, water supplies for farming and new homes, fewer floods, and fantastic places for people to enjoy.
It is community campaigning that first sounded the alarm about increasing threats to rivers. It is community control that holds the key to bringing our waters back to health.
Mark Lloyd, CEO of The Rivers Trust, said:
We’ve long been calling for a regionwide systems planning approach to how our water is managed, and it’s encouraging to see the government recognise that this is needed in today’s announcement. We look forward to working with local leaders to shape what this looks like in practice, including strategic plans that integrate water management identifying solutions and funding across sectors, via the Catchment-Based Approach. This will help ensure we can deliver rivers fit for the future and a resilient water system that works for communities, and protects us from the economic damage of pollution, flooding, drought and biodiversity decline.