A Swindon MP has urged Thames Water to make improvements after slamming the company for its "spectacular" failure to serve the people of the town.
Will Stone (Swindon North), alongside MPs Yuan Yang of Earley and Woodley, and Crawley's representative Peter Lamb, have been engaged in discussions with Thames Water's director of corporate finance, Fred Maroudas.
Following the meeting, Mr Stone expressed his disappointment at how the company had "already failed our constituents so spectacularly" and demanded significant reforms.
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He said: "In Swindon North, I've heard from families dealing with problems which Thames Water have failed to resolve – flooding, sewage overflows, water outages, and more. Others have raised concerns about pollution in our local rivers, where the company have been pumping sewage."
He continued by voicing his frustration over financial burdens placed on residents: "My constituents are being asked to foot the bill for Thames Water's failures, with the average bill going up by 31% this year, all while the company pays out millions to executives."
Stone emphasised the collective action taken by Labour MPs, adding: "I joined Labour colleagues in signing this letter because Thames Water needs to be held to account for their persistent failings. My constituents deserve answers to their concerns, and I hope that increased scrutiny on the company from Parliament will help get it to them."
The MPs presented a letter to Mr Maroudas during the meeting, which was co-signed by 27 Labour MPs from the Thames Water region, signalling a united front in seeking accountability from the utility provider.
The MPs' call to action comes in the wake of customers grappling with bill hikes of up to 50%, persistent sewage pollution in rivers and waterways, and significant customer service shortcomings – all while executives continue to pocket hefty bonuses despite government efforts to curb them.
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The group has issued a series of demands to Thames Water.
Firstly, they are urging the company to reclaim the £2.5m bonus paid out to top executives in April and abandon plans for a similar payout in December, suggesting that these funds be redirected towards improving water infrastructure instead.
Secondly, they insist that Thames Water withdraw its appeal to Ofwat for leniency regarding sewage fines. The group wholeheartedly supports the environment secretary's pledge to apply the same rules to all water companies; Thames Water should not be an exception.
Lastly, they demand that Thames Water commit to a meeting with MPs in Parliament before the year ends to discuss constituency casework.
Mr Stone said: "Thames Water told us that they're committed to making improvements, and he is committed to holding them to account on these."
He added: "Thames Water have agreed to a scrutiny meeting with the Thames Water Watch group when Parliament returns in September, and I'm looking forward to receiving their plans for improvement in Swindon North."
A spokesperson for Thames Water hailed the meeting as "very constructive". They said: "No executive directors have received performance-related pay this year. A management retention programme was established as part of our liquidity extension with the objective of retaining senior management during a complex recapitalisation.
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"We have paused its implementation. None of the retention payments have been funded by customers. The company's chief executive is not party to the MRP and has received no payments."
The representative emphasised the firm's commitment to its environmental and customer obligations, adding: "We are making record levels of investment we have planned to meet our commitments to customers and the environment, and we are committed to improving outcomes for the environment and its customers."
They also touched on the necessity of regulatory flexibility for future investments, saying: "In order to be investable, we and prospective investors have needed to engage in discussions with our regulators about regulatory easements."