'We're not washed up yet', says watchdog

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Politicians at Holyrood may have voted to abolish the water industry watchdog but bosses at Waterwatch Scotland are hopeful that a new administration will scrap the move.

The Public Services Reform Bill, passed last month, includes measures to disband Waterwatch and transfer its functions to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and Consumer Focus Scotland.

An amendment lodged by Green MSP Patrick Harvie to retain the Alloa-based public body, backed by Labour and the Lib Dems, was narrowly defeated in the Scottish Parliament by 64 votes to 63.

However, an amendment by Conservative MSP Derek Brownlee, which was passed by MSPs, means the planned merger will take place a year after royal ascent of the bill – potentially delaying the move until after next May's Holyrood election.

It leaves open the possibility that any new administration could overturn the decision. A hopeful view held by Waterwatch Scotland chief executive Gary Womersley (pictured).

He said: "Though the Holyrood vote was something of a disappointment to the dedicated team here, the network of Regional Panel and National Committee members they support as well as, of course, the town of Alloa too, the planned merger is still well over a year away. It's very much business as usual here in Alloa now for at least the next year.

"Waterwatch Scotland has achieved a lot in the time we have been based here in the town, but we still have much more to deliver for consumers. We will obviously now be working to ensure that any likely merger can be as seamless as possible, albeit still operating at a level to allow it to continue should the next government not seek to merge us."

It is not the first time that Waterwatch's existence has been under threat. A possible merger was discussed by a parliamentary review committee last May; despite official figures revealing that the watchdog had reduced complaints made against Scottish Water by 75 per cent and achieved a 96 per cent customer satisfaction rating. At that time the status quo was maintained after a stalemate vote by committee MSPs.

Waterwatch convener Heather Brash said: "Waterwatch Scotland has played an important role in working with Scottish Water to ensure that complaints from domestic and non-domestic consumers are dealt with promptly and properly and that wider issues of water quality and wastewater management get the attention and investment they deserve.

"Now that the Government has decided their wish that our consumer representative and complaints handling roles are to be taken over by Consumer Focus Scotland and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, we will do all in our power to ensure that any transition will be as smooth as possible."

Finance Secretary John Swinney said the Bill will "simplify and improve" public services and includes moves to establish Creative Scotland through a merger between the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen.

Swinney claimed the number of public bodies had already been reduced from 199 to 161 and this Bill, combined with others, would reduce the landscape further to around 120 by 2011.

He said: "New duties across the public sector to publish information on how money is spent will greatly enhance openness and transparency in the public sector. Yet the financial climate means that we must accelerate reform and it is essential for this Parliament to be able to respond more quickly to changing circumstances. The Order making powers in the Bill provide a responsive and proportionate way to make further changes to the public bodies' landscape more quickly as and when opportunities arise."