MINISTER WORKING ON WATER BILL CHANGES TO HELP LOCAL FAMILIES

Water Minister Elliot Morley MP is looking at changes to water meter tariffs that could see second home owners pay more, to help local families – following a meeting with South West Liberal Democrat MPs.

News that water tariffs might be reformed came in the meeting today, organised by South West Liberal Democrat MPs. Currently, many second home owners have opted for a meter so they only pay for water used during occasional visits – avoiding the high charges faced by year-round local residents. However, the charges are now being reviewed by the Ministry, Ofwat, and the Water Companies. One option is that every household pays for a “basic entitlement” for a year of use, then more if use is very high. This would mean second home owners paying for a full years service like everyone else, contributing fairly to the local environmental clean-up – and the extra money raised from second home owners would mean local people’s bills could be lower.

Welcoming the news, Adrian Sanders MP said:

“A fair contribution from every second home owner could help cut local water bills, so this review is good news. There could also be a better deal for families with children, pensioners, and others currently hit by the highest water bills in the country. But with London bills averaging just £200 compared to £450 a year here – and a rise to £700 by 2009 already agreed by the regulator, more is needed. Liberal Democrats are pressing for the costs of the national beach clean up to be spread fairly across the country.”

The Minister, Mr Morley, doubted that it would be acceptable to raise bills across the country to cut them in the South West. However, the South West Lib Dem MP’s argued the South West coastline is a national asset.

Adrian commented:

“At the end of the day, a third of the nation’s beaches are in the South West, but only 3% of the population live there. There just are not enough people living here to pay for so much of the national programme. Conservative privatisation got this wrong – Labour has the power to put it right if they want to. Labour say they believe in a fair deal – if so, it is time they did something about it.”

Matthew Taylor MP, Julia Goldsworthy MP and Andrew George MP also joined the delegation. They expressed disbelief and anger at news that a pilot government programme announced before the General Election, to help those worst hit, has still not got off the ground.

Adrian added:

“Labour announced this pilot programme to help poorer households with benefit advice and water saving measures. Yet out of 2 million living in the South West only 1000 will get help – and nearly six months after the election not a single person has yet had any help. The truth is that this was little more than a Labour election gimmick it seems – especially as it appears to be no different from help already on offer.”