South East Water CEO Forgoes Bonus Over Unacceptable Outages
David Hinton, the chief executive of South East Water, has announced he will forgo his annual performance bonus as an act of penitence for severe water supply disruptions affecting thousands of customers in Kent and Sussex. Testifying before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee, Hinton stated he would accept only his £400,000 salary for the 2025-2026 year. The decision follows significant outages in November, December, and January, which left residents without tap water for basic hygiene and sanitation, prompting some to stockpile bottled water. Hinton apologized for the company's failures, acknowledging that communication during the crises was insufficient and admitting that the outages were foreseeable, as noted by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. While Hinton described South East Water as a fundamentally good company with specific operational issues, committee members criticized the lack of leadership changes and accountability. Committee chair Alistair Carmichael remarked that while operations might have been technically successful, the outcome for customers was disastrous. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from MPs, shareholders, and the public, highlighting ongoing governance concerns within the utility sector.
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South East Water CEO Forgoes Bonus Over Unacceptable Outages
David Hinton, the chief executive of South East Water, has announced he will forgo his annual performance bonus as an act of penitence for severe water supply disruptions affecting thousands of customers in Kent and Sussex. Testifying before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee, Hinton stated he would accept only his £400,000 salary for the 2025-2026 year. The decision follows significant outages in November, December, and January, which left residents without tap water for basic hygiene and sanitation, prompting some to stockpile bottled water. Hinton apologized for the company's failures, acknowledging that communication during the crises was insufficient and admitting that the outages were foreseeable, as noted by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. While Hinton described South East Water as a fundamentally good company with specific operational issues, committee members criticized the lack of leadership changes and accountability. Committee chair Alistair Carmichael remarked that while operations might have been technically successful, the outcome for customers was disastrous. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from MPs, shareholders, and the public, highlighting ongoing governance concerns within the utility sector.
The Guardian