Water lobbyists bought EA boss £100 meal days before bills hiked 40%
THE chairman of the Environment Agency accepted a dinner worth nearly £100 from water company lobbyists days before bills were increased by 40%.
Regulators and the Government have been accused of having a “chummy relationship” with water firms by the Lib Dems, who uncovered details of the meeting.
The Environment Agency’s role is to investigate and punish the companies found to have illegally polluted waterways.
Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said: “This will rightly stink to the public. Government officials shouldn’t be accepting a penny from a disgraced industry which pollutes our rivers whilst hiking bills.
“This is a mess and further proof of a chummy relationship between water firms and the Government.”
The chairman of the Environment Agency, Alan Lovell, accepted a £96 dinner from Water UK, the industry body representing water firms, on June 20. The following week, Water UK announced its members would be increasing bills by 40%.
The same Freedom of Information request revealed Mr Lovell also accepted a £200 dinner and hotel stay from Yorkshire Water, as well as a £60 dinner from Severn Trent Water.
Mr Farron said: “The water industry is getting away scot free whilst treating officials and regulators to swanky dinners. It is a scandal.
“This industry is rotten to its core and needs to start from scratch, starting with a new regulator, a ban on bonuses and hospitality gifts, and above all else a complete reform of water companies so profit is no longer put ahead of the environment.”
The Liberal Democrats have called for a ban on the water industry treating government and regulators to expensive hospitality.
The Environment Agency said: “All of these meetings were working meetings and all expenses were properly declared, as per the strict rules we have in place.
“It is not unusual for the Environment Agency chair to meet with industry leads to challenge them on their performance and outline the improvements that we as a regulator expect to see.”