If you want action taken with Yorkshire Water over rising bills, sewage discharges and water leaks, your MPs should demand the Government act, Calderdale Labour councillors were told.

Labour had proposed a motion calling on Calderdale Council to support calls by Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, and regional leaders calling on the water company to set out a clear strategy for rebuilding trust and confidence, explain its governance arrangements including executive pay and commit to transparency in reporting the latter and financial decision-making.

They also called for Yorkshire Water to increase investment in infrastructure in Calderdale and the region, step up the pace of reducing leaks and sewage discharges , not unfairly burden customers will bill increases and press Government for wider water regulation and enforcement including considering public ownership.

But at the meeting of the full Calderdale Council the ruling Reform UK group, which won control of the authority in May’s local elections, successfully proposed a different path.

Coun Stephen Hodgson (Reform UK, Ovenden)

placeholder image — Coun Stephen Hodgson (Reform UK, Ovenden)

Labour councillors and Labour MPs should get the Labour Government to sort it out, they said.

A majority of councillors agreed to express concern that “despite repeated commitments by the Labour Government to reform the water industry, residents continue to face rising bills, ongoing sewage discharges, significant leakage rates and increasing pressure on household finances.”

The council should: “Request the leader of the council write to the MP for Calder Valley and the MP for Halifax asking they demand the Labour Government fully explain how its proposed reforms and replacement of (regulator) Ofwat will deliver tangible improvements for customers, the environment and local communities within a clear and measurable time frame,” said the Reform amendment.

Coun Katie Kimber (Lab, Luddenden Foot), proposing Labour’s original motion, said she was speaking on behalf of residents “who are paying more, expecting better services and feeling increasingly let down”.

Coun Katie Kimber (Luddenden Foot, Labour)

“Clean water, healthy rivers and resilient infrastructure are not political issues – they affect every household, every business, every community we represent.

“Residents understand that maintaining a water network is difficult but what they don’t understand is why they are paying more while seeing leaking pipes, sewage pollution and ageing infrastructure,” she said.

Coun Kimber said good work had been done with Yorkshire Water including a landmark agreement between the council and it to take action, but it needed more.

Supporting her, Coun Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) welcomed millions of pounds that had been spent but the work was only necessary because the network had been allowed to deteriorate for many years because of “chronic” under investment – the result was bursts and leaks with resulting traffic delays.

But Coun Stephen Hodgson (Reform UK, Ovenden) said his group’s amendment recognised these concerns and while the council could advocate, power lay elsewhere.

“Let me be clear from the outset every member of this chamber wants to see cleaner rivers, a healthier environment and a water service that residents can trust.

“The amendment recognises the concerns.

“It also recognises that Yorkshire Water is a private company and that the key powers to regulate and reform the water industry sit with central Government, not Calderdale Council.

“It is Westminster that ultimately has the authority to drive change,” he said.

If reforms has been prioritised, local people deserved to know when they will see the benefits, said Coun Hodgson.

Green group leader Coun Martin Hey (Northowram and Shelf) said both original motion and the amendment were unsatisfactory and were “just too weak.”

The council should press Government to nationalise the industry, he said.

Leader of the council, Coun Daniel Sutherland (Reform UK, Illingworth and Mixenden) said the council had to be honest about things it did have control over.

“Do you want to change something? Speak to the Government. You want to change your party’s policy? Raise it at your party conference,” he said.

Coun Wilkinson said he thought his party had proposed something all the council could agree on, and the amendment removed any accountability for Yorkshire Water themselves.