October 9th, 2024.



James MacCleary, Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, has called for an immediate ban on executive bonuses at Southern Water after it was announced yesterday that the company would have to pay back £31.9 million due to poor performance and a further £8million for South East Water.

It comes as the new government’s Water Bill is set to be debated in Parliament. The Liberal Democrats have said the bill is only a “half-measure” and will table an amendment that would enforce an immediate ban on water company bosses’ bonuses.

The Liberal Democrats have previously revealed that there were 1,790 sewage spills for well over 20,000 hours in Lewes constituency last year. This is the most recent data available and uses the old constituency boundaries.

MacCleary said that the steps by the regulator announced yesterday needed to be a “watershed” moment for Southern Water and that it was “high time” action was taken on these polluting firms.

James MacCleary said: "For far too long, the Conservatives turned a blind eye while water companies recklessly discharged their sewage into our rivers and seas, all while executives pocket enormous bonuses.

"This has to stop. It’s outrageous that these companies continue to fail in safeguarding our natural beauty, including the waterways around Lewes and our beloved coastlines like Seaford, near the iconic Seven Sisters.

"We’re seeing damage to the environment not just along the coast but also in the rivers and streams that run through our beautiful countryside—places like Ditchling, where we've endured hundreds of hours of sewage dumping each year, more than anywhere else locally.

"This new government bill is a disappointment, falling far short of what’s needed to tackle these polluters head-on. That’s why I stand firmly behind the Liberal Democrat amendment, which will put an end to these executive bonuses until the leaks are fixed and sewage stops spilling into our precious waterways. Only then can we begin to restore and protect the natural environment we love so much here in Sussex."