Agenda item

To consider the regular Action Tracker report.

The Committee considered the regular Action Tracker report.

RESOLVED That:

1)     the Action Tracker report be noted;

2)     each Overview and Scrutiny Committee develop its own Action Tracker.

Further to Item 8 – Thames Water

Al Neal

Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Management Committee

Wokingham Borough Council

12 July 2023

Richard Aylard

Sustainability Director

Thames Water

Dear Richard,

Thames Water Visit to Wokingham Borough Council O&S

Firstly, I would like to thank you and your colleagues for attending the Overview & Scrutiny meeting on 12 June 2023. Members found your presentation very useful and I was pleased to see such a constructive debate on a number of key issues. Obviously, since then there have been tumultuous changes at Thames Water. I hope that these matters can be resolved quickly in order to renew the shared focus on tackling the issues we discussed at the Scrutiny meeting.

As you are aware, the role of Overview & Scrutiny is to hold the Council’s leadership and key public service providers to account. Scrutiny also acts as the voice of local residents, ensuring that issues of importance and concern are scrutinised publicly.

Our residents and community groups have been telling us that the discharge of sewage into rivers and waterways is unacceptable. Wokingham Borough is home to rivers and streams of significant importance and I was pleased to see that Thames Water recognises that urgent action is required.

There is also great concern about the huge amount of water which is lost on a daily basis through leakage. This is especially worrying in light of the Climate Emergency, declared by the Council in 2019.

At the end of our discussion on 12 June, I undertook to write to you setting out the key points and actions agreed at the meeting. These are set out below:

·           You undertook to arrange a site visit for up to six people at the Wargrave Sewage Treatment plant;

·           You agreed to provide briefings on issues such as sewage discharge, water leakages and investment plans for Town and Parish Councils and community groups, on request;

·           Councillor Chris Johnson raised issues about the performance of the Grazeley Road/Three Mile Cross pumping stations – you agreed to investigate and provide a written answer;

·           Thames Water was currently working on a submission to Ofwat on the price review process – you agreed to share the submission with Members once it was ready for circulation;

·           In response to a question about the payment of dividends to shareholders and the movement of funds to the company’s internal stakeholders, you agreed to provide a written response;

·           You agreed to provide feedback on the level of water leakages in the Borough and the action plan/investment in place to address this matter;

·           We agreed to a joint meeting in September 2023 when Thames Water would brief WBC Members and officers on the roll-out of smart meters in 2024;

·           We agreed that Thames Water and WBC officers would meet to discuss issues relating to delays in the adoption of infrastructure linked to new housing development in the Borough;

·           You agreed to further discussions with local Members and residents on the learning points from the recent sink hole incidents in Elms Lane and Evendons;

·            The Committee invited you and your colleagues to attend its meeting on 16 January 2024 in order to discuss progress on the matters set out above.

I hope that this is an accurate record of our discussions on 12 June, but please do let me know if you wish to amend or add to the list. 

In order to progress these points, please can you let Neil Carr (Democratic Services) know the relevant contact officer/s at Thames Water. We can then set up the relevant meetings and briefings.

Thanks again for your positive engagement with the Council.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Al Neal

Al Neal

Chair - Overview & Scrutiny Management Committee

Wokingham Borough Council