Southern Water No Confidence Motion Rejected After Protest Outside County Hall

Campaigners gathered outside County Hall in Newport this week as Isle of Wight councillors debated whether to declare no confidence in Southern Water.

The protest on Wednesday (15th July) came after the water company pleaded guilty to pollution offences relating to the River Test, a major source of the Island's drinking water.

Demonstrators urged councillors to back a motion expressing no confidence in Southern Water's handling of wastewater and environmental issues.

However, the proposal failed to secure enough support.

Instead, councillors agreed an alternative motion put forward by Isle of Wight Council leader Jonathan Bacon and Reform UK councillor Les Kirkby.

Among those protesting was Ryde town councillor Chani Courtney, who also works as a senior communities officer for Surfers Against Sewage.

She said the current water system was "broken" and claimed Southern Water had recorded more than 4,300 hours of sewage spills in East Wight and more than 7,400 hours in West Wight since the start of the year.

Cllr Courtney said campaigners want the forthcoming Clean Water Bill, due to return to Parliament in October, to consider different ownership models for the water industry.

"We want to look at nationalisation, municipal ownership and charitable interest companies," she said.

She added that local authorities showing opposition to the current system could help influence the wider parliamentary debate.

Environmental scientist Jack Keen, from Cowes, who volunteers with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust restoring seagrass habitats, said ageing infrastructure was damaging conservation efforts.

"They're not updating the infrastructure, which is desperately needed," he said.

"Releasing raw sewage is hampering efforts to restore the Solent ecosystem."

Protester Sally Spencer said she believed a no confidence motion would have helped bring about long-term improvements, although she acknowledged change would not happen overnight.

She also called for greater regulation of water companies, adding that public ownership would be the preferred solution.

In response, a Southern Water spokesperson said the company recognised customers on the Isle of Wight wanted to see further improvements to the wastewater network.

They said the company's chief executive met Isle of Wight councillors last month to outline commitments aimed at reducing sewage spills, improving communication and increasing transparency.

Southern Water also said more than £67 million is being invested across the Isle of Wight to improve the network.

The company added that the number of storm overflow discharges on the Island has fallen over the past three years and said further measures to improve the resilience of the wastewater network will be announced soon.