‘Southern Water price hike disgraceful' – say Medway Liberal Democrats

Water bills in Medway are set to be hiked by 11.92% by Southern Water. It means residents in Medway will be paying an extra £51 a year and Medway Liberal Democrats have called for the disgraceful hike to be scrapped. 

Liberal Democrats in Medway have called for Southern Water to scrap their 11.92% water bill hike and have said that there should be “no price rises until water firms scrap insulting overseas dividends and executive bonuses”.

It comes as Water UK has released figures which forecast water bill price changes which show that in Medway water bills are expected to rise by £51 a year for 2024/25. It means Southern Water will be hiking up bills by 11.92% for the coming year. Medway Liberal Democrats have slammed the move as disgraceful and have said there should be “no price rises until water firms scrap insulting overseas dividends and exec bonuses”.

Stuart Bourne Medway Liberal Democrat PPC for Gillingham and Rainham said: “People in Medway should not have to endure this disgraceful price hike. During a cost of living crisis, it is a slap in the face to all those in our community who now have to pay more to water companies who have for years been pumping filthy sewage into our rivers.

This insulting price hike should be scrapped immediately. There should be no price rises until water firms scrap insulting overseas dividends and exec bonuses. What is even more scandalous is that Conservative ministers have just stood aside and let water companies walk all over their customers. Southern Water should be digging into their own pockets for once and not force these additional costs onto people in Medway during a cost of living crisis.

There should be an immediate end to sky-high bonuses and payments going to overseas investors. Money that should instead be going straight on fixing our crumbling infrastructure.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Responding to Water UK announcing water bills will rise in April, Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said: 

"This is a kick in the teeth from the same dodgy water firms who pollute rivers with sewage whilst pocketing millions in bonuses. They have no shame.

"This price hike is a disgrace and should be scrapped immediately. There should be no price rises until water firms scrap insulting overseas dividends and exec bonuses. It is a scandal that Conservative Ministers are just letting water firms get away with this.

"Instead of making Brits fork out extra in water bills in the middle of a cost of living crisis, these rogue firms should dig into their own pockets for once. This should start with an end to eye-watering bonuses and payments to overseas investors, which should go straight to fixing their creaking infrastructure."

Data on the changes to water bills can be found here.