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Labour’s new powers for water customers are a ‘stitch-up’, campaigners say

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Documents & data New plan
  • Campaigners have described Labour’s proposed powers for water customers as a “stitch-up”.
  • Documents show that water companies advised on how the new accountability system should work.
  • The Consumer Council for Water is creating consumer panels to question water-company executives and seek redress over sewage and water problems in England and Wales.

Labour’s promise to give water customers more power to hold companies accountable has been branded a “stitch-up” by campaigners, after documents revealed that utilities helped shape how the system would work.

The Consumer Council for Water is developing what the government has called “powerful consumer panels”. The panels are intended to give the public a forum to question executives from local water companies and seek redress for problems involving sewage and water services.

stitch-up

· CampaignersCampaigners used the phrase to criticise the process for creating new consumer powers.

But campaigners say the process is compromised because water firms were allowed to advise on the implementation of the very accountability measures that could be used against them.

The proposed system covers water companies in England and Wales. Its stated purpose is to give consumers a stronger route to challenge companies and obtain remedies when services fail.

powerful consumer panels

· UK governmentThe government’s description of the panels being created by the Consumer Council for Water.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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