MPs have accused the CEO of Southern Water of “pure greed” and urged Lawrence Gosden to refuse a ‘large payout’ after it emerged that his wage was set to double to £1.4m.
The 19 Labour MPs who characterize constituents served by Southern Water mentioned they had been “appalled” by the “shameful and blatant” try by the corporate to get round a bonus ban.
In a letter, they listed latest failures together with “major flooding,” “sewage spills” and “eye-watering bill hikes of 46.7%,” as causes to not reward the agency’s boss.
The MPs wrote: “Customers will be shocked that while they are being asked to pay more, you will be laughing all the way to the bank.
“We urge you to do the proper factor and decline this disgraceful fee for failure.”
Mr Gosden was awarded £691,000 beneath a two-year long-term incentive plan on prime of his present wage of £687,000.
That is regardless of Southern Water being banned from paying bonuses after a critical sewage leak within the New Forest in Hampshire final 12 months.
It comes because the Surroundings Secretary Steve Reed introduced that new laws would rule out some of these pay will increase in future.
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The federal government has confirmed that water regulator Ofwat is to be scrapped, following the publication of a landmark report.
Talking over the weekend, Mr Reed described the pay rise as “outrageous” and known as on Mr Gosden to show it down.
He informed the BBC: “I don’t think Southern Water has performed well enough for that kind of pay increase to be merited.”
Southern Water has beforehand defended the choice, saying they haven’t paid out bonuses and have made report investments to be able to flip across the failing enterprise.
The corporate has been approached for remark.
