Record fine for Southern Water
Discussion
Southern Water have been fined £90m (yes, Ninety Million Pounds!) for numerous incidents of the release of uncontrolled sewage.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-5777793...
Shocking story - deliberate, apparently.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-5777793...
Shocking story - deliberate, apparently.
So are any individuals going to see consequences for their actions or are they all fine and it's basically just the customers and shareholders getting the pain?
A bit like when the NHS f
ks up and the only punishment is a hit to the budget and none of those responsible actually suffer.
A bit like when the NHS f
ks up and the only punishment is a hit to the budget and none of those responsible actually suffer. Mr Whippy said:
Why have an alternative to that solution?
It’d act as a suitable deterrent because the director would absolutely incentivise staff to never do anything that’d expose them.
Oh I'd be fine with it I just worded what I was trying to say badly which is why don't they jail directors when a fine to the company presumably just gets passed on to peoples water bills?It’d act as a suitable deterrent because the director would absolutely incentivise staff to never do anything that’d expose them.
I've had to work with them over the years and they have been utterly useless without fail.
This is no surprise whatsoever, but nothing will change unless people go to prison. Why would they change?
Other water companies are just as bad, even the way things operate under the AMP cycles is a joke.
This is no surprise whatsoever, but nothing will change unless people go to prison. Why would they change?
Other water companies are just as bad, even the way things operate under the AMP cycles is a joke.
This gives a lot more background.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/0...
There was a guy from the EA on Radio 4 earlier who when asked if he was surprised gave the impression that if he was it was only by the number of events.
There really needs to be sanctions against the directors for this sort of thing. The company clearly had a deliberate policy of operating in a criminal way, it was not an aberration. Given that the industry works on 'trusted to report issues basis' which means they should be judged by professional standards,I would like to see the managers and lawyers who obstructed the EAs investigation facing individual punishment as well.
None of this will happen though- just another tenner on your water rates. Of course if everyone refused to pay for a year..that won't happen either.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/0...
There was a guy from the EA on Radio 4 earlier who when asked if he was surprised gave the impression that if he was it was only by the number of events.
There really needs to be sanctions against the directors for this sort of thing. The company clearly had a deliberate policy of operating in a criminal way, it was not an aberration. Given that the industry works on 'trusted to report issues basis' which means they should be judged by professional standards,I would like to see the managers and lawyers who obstructed the EAs investigation facing individual punishment as well.
None of this will happen though- just another tenner on your water rates. Of course if everyone refused to pay for a year..that won't happen either.
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: Whilst there needs to be a punishment I'm surprised fines is the format as surely it just ends up with their customers paying more?
Other than prosecuting and jailing directors I can't think of an alternative though.
If it was deliberate, then there should be criminal charges. All that happens with fines is that rate payers are hit. (I'm a SW customer.)Other than prosecuting and jailing directors I can't think of an alternative though.
I'm not after jailing the directors as that would cost me money as well. Hit them where it hurts, in the pocket. Ban them from any job as a director/whatever.
On top of that, jail the legislators for reducing oversight. Every MP who voted for it should have to undergo retraining. On a weekend.
article said:
Chief executive Ian McAulay, who was appointed in 2017, was in court on Friday alongside chairman Keith Lough, who joined in 2019.
After the hearing, Mr McAulay said: "We have heard what the judge has said today and will reflect closely on the sentence and his remarks.
"He has rightly put the environment front and centre which is what matters to all of us. "
Mr McAulay said the fine would not affect customers' bills or infrastructure investments, with shareholders due to bear the cost.
He should be reflecting about it in jail IMVHO.After the hearing, Mr McAulay said: "We have heard what the judge has said today and will reflect closely on the sentence and his remarks.
"He has rightly put the environment front and centre which is what matters to all of us. "
Mr McAulay said the fine would not affect customers' bills or infrastructure investments, with shareholders due to bear the cost.
mac96 said:
This gives a lot more background.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/0...
There was a guy from the EA on Radio 4 earlier who when asked if he was surprised gave the impression that if he was it was only by the number of events.
There really needs to be sanctions against the directors for this sort of thing. The company clearly had a deliberate policy of operating in a criminal way, it was not an aberration. Given that the industry works on 'trusted to report issues basis' which means they should be judged by professional standards,I would like to see the managers and lawyers who obstructed the EAs investigation facing individual punishment as well.
None of this will happen though- just another tenner on your water rates. Of course if everyone refused to pay for a year..that won't happen either.
The details in that link are shocking. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/0...
There was a guy from the EA on Radio 4 earlier who when asked if he was surprised gave the impression that if he was it was only by the number of events.
There really needs to be sanctions against the directors for this sort of thing. The company clearly had a deliberate policy of operating in a criminal way, it was not an aberration. Given that the industry works on 'trusted to report issues basis' which means they should be judged by professional standards,I would like to see the managers and lawyers who obstructed the EAs investigation facing individual punishment as well.
None of this will happen though- just another tenner on your water rates. Of course if everyone refused to pay for a year..that won't happen either.
Credit to Stephen Bailey BTW
Edited by g3org3y on Friday 9th July 20:22
g3org3y said:
article said:
Chief executive Ian McAulay, who was appointed in 2017, was in court on Friday alongside chairman Keith Lough, who joined in 2019.
After the hearing, Mr McAulay said: "We have heard what the judge has said today and will reflect closely on the sentence and his remarks.
"He has rightly put the environment front and centre which is what matters to all of us. "
Mr McAulay said the fine would not affect customers' bills or infrastructure investments, with shareholders due to bear the cost.
He should be reflecting about it in jail IMVHO.After the hearing, Mr McAulay said: "We have heard what the judge has said today and will reflect closely on the sentence and his remarks.
"He has rightly put the environment front and centre which is what matters to all of us. "
Mr McAulay said the fine would not affect customers' bills or infrastructure investments, with shareholders due to bear the cost.
Yet a chief exec of a massive company that has acted against the law many times on purpose is not feeling his wallet get any lighter. No, it's the shareholders, who are not in any way involved in the running are paying while he gets to do press statements.
This is the problem with huge companies, nobody is responsible.
Derek Smith said:
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: Whilst there needs to be a punishment I'm surprised fines is the format as surely it just ends up with their customers paying more?
Other than prosecuting and jailing directors I can't think of an alternative though.
If it was deliberate, then there should be criminal charges. All that happens with fines is that rate payers are hit. (I'm a SW customer.)Other than prosecuting and jailing directors I can't think of an alternative though.
I'm not after jailing the directors as that would cost me money as well. Hit them where it hurts, in the pocket. Ban them from any job as a director/whatever.
On top of that, jail the legislators for reducing oversight. Every MP who voted for it should have to undergo retraining. On a weekend.
Proving individual criminality will no doubt be impossible. The decisions will have been corporate with involvement of large number of individuals. Unusually, the criminality must have been obvious even to people relatively low down in the hierarchy.
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