Geoffrey Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon, met the Chief

Executive of South West Water, Chris Loughlin, at Westminster last week

to discuss the recent Ofwat settlement and its effect on local water

bills.

The MP pressed South West Water to do more to mitigate water

prices in the South West and asked for a report on its efforts to

introduce fairer systems of pricing . A recent review, the Walker

Report, commissioned by the government, has set out a number of ways to

address this issue, including charging more for water used in the

summer, or a one-off payment from the Government. However, the MP was

told all of the proposals have significant practical problems, and that

the seasonal price variation would hit tourist businesses particularly

hard.

The Chief Executive said that he had been invited by the Conservatives

to make proposals for reducing the burden on South West consumers and

he assured Geoffrey Cox that he was working closely with Conservative

front bench spokesmen on practical ways of doing so should there be a

change of government.

The pair also discussed the continued problems regarding sewerage in

Great Torrington and Holsworthy, where strain on the system has

resulted in the discharge of raw sewage over manhole covers and into

the streets.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Cox said, “I had an extremely helpful

and productive meeting with Chris Loughlin. We discussed the sewerage

troubles still plaguing Great Torrington and Holsworthy. While I

understand that money has already been allocated to try to resolve this

issue, Mr Loughlin said he would look into the situation personally.

“I am all too aware of the frustration and irritation that

water bills cause in our part of Devon, and while we regularly

correspond, I took the opportunity to raise the subject with Mr

Loughlin in person. While I am glad that the recent Walker Report

acknowledged that this is a serious problem which needs an urgent

solution, I am disappointed that more practical conclusions were not

reached.

“I am also disappointed that the Walker report did not take more

seriously the proposed ‘Rising Block’ tariff, which would be an

effective way of cutting non-essential water use and reducing people’s

bills. I understand that South West Water will be introducing such a

system on a trial basis later this year, and will be monitoring the

results very closely.”