Zöe Franklin calls out 'shameful excesses' at the top of Thames Water

Guildford Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Zöe Franklin: “Shameful excesses at the top of Thames Water, while sewage continues to pollute our waterways and crumbling infrastructure once again leaves thousands of local people without water.” 

The Liberal Democrats’ analysis of Companies House records has revealed the water industry in England, Scotland and Wales paid out £10 million in executive salaries last year, the highest on record. 

Zöe Franklin said: “It is shameful that Thames Water is allowed to reward its most senior staff with these excessive bonuses, while the sewage scandal continues. 

“The news is all the more insulting to us, given thousands of people in and around Guildford have once again been left with no water for days. This latest failure of the company’s infrastructure has seen people having to queue to collect bottled water, and schools and local businesses were forced to close. 

Thames Water’s top 3 executives’ £2,415,000 pay packages included: 

• £1,525,000 in base pay 
• £746,000 in bonuses, “benefits and incentives” and  
• £144,000 pensions 

Ms Franklin added: “This is all happening on the Conservative Government’s watch. I was appalled that there was no mention of the water industry’s sewage scandal in the King’s Speech this week.  

“The Conservative government has shown no sense of urgency and no ambition to tackle this appalling environmental harm.  

“We need a clear commitment to make water companies stop discharging sewage in our waterways and to fix their crumbling infrastructure. The Conservatives’ continued silence is deafening. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling for radical reform of the water industry, including: 

• A ban on CEO bonuses.
• Firms to be run as 'public good companies' - prioritising the environment ahead of shareholders.
• The Boards to include environmental experts. 

Ms Franklin continued: “Thames Water puts profit before the environment. It is clearly not working as it should and is not listening to local concerns on reliable water supplies, and sewage discharges.  

"When will Conservative Ministers finally get tough on these polluting and profiteering firms?"