Water Companies Ordered to Pay £114 Million Back to Customers for Failing to Meet Targets
Water companies in England and Wales have been instructed to reimburse customers a total of £114 million after they failed to meet crucial performance targets, according to the industry regulator, Ofwat. The directive comes as a response to shortcomings in areas such as leakages, water supply, and pollution reduction.
Ofwat, responsible for overseeing the water industry, expressed its dissatisfaction with the performance of the companies. After conducting a comprehensive review, the regulator decided that millions of pounds would be returned to households through reductions in water bills. Notably, Ofwat highlighted that not a single water company managed to achieve the highest measure of performance.
Seven water companies, namely Dwr Cymru, Southern, Thames, Anglian, Bristol, South East, and Yorkshire Water, were placed in the lowest “lagging” category. The remaining ten were rated as “average,” with none being considered “leading” in terms of meeting performance targets.
The regulator evaluates water companies against challenging targets established in 2019 for a five-year period. Failure to meet these targets results in Ofwat restricting the amount of money companies can collect from their customers. David Black, the Chief Executive of Ofwat, commented on the situation, stating that while the reductions in bills “may be welcome to bill payers, it is very disappointing news for all who want to see the sector do better.”
UK Workers Taking More Sick Days Amidst Challenging Conditions
A recent study conducted by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has revealed that workers in the UK are taking more sick days than at any point in the last decade. On average, employees took 7.8 sick days in the past year, a noticeable increase from the 5.8 days recorded before the pandemic.
The CIPD, a trade group representing HR and people development professionals, expressed concern about this rise in sick days. Stress, the ongoing impact of Covid-19, and the cost-of-living crisis were cited as significant factors contributing to this trend. These conditions were described as having “profound impacts on many people’s wellbeing.”
The study, which analysed absence rates in over 900 organisations encompassing 6.5 million employees, was conducted by Simplyhealth, a healthcare company specialising in outpatient support. It found that minor illnesses were the primary reason for short-term absences, followed by musculoskeletal injuries and mental health issues. Additionally, more than a third of organisations reported that Covid-19 continued to be a significant cause of employee sick days. Long-term sick leave was often attributed to mental health concerns, musculoskeletal injuries, or serious conditions like cancer and stroke.
Gatwick Cancels Flights Due to Short-Term Sickness and Covid-19 in Air Traffic Control
Gatwick Airport is set to cancel approximately 82 departures over the next week due to a combination of short-term sickness and Covid-19 cases among air traffic control staff. The situation has left airport management frustrated, with around 30% of air traffic control personnel unavailable for duty.
Stewart Wingate, the CEO of Gatwick Airport, expressed his frustration with the recurring issues at the airport’s air traffic control centre. The largest number of cancellations is expected on Friday, September 29, affecting 33 departures. Fortunately, no cancellations are anticipated for Tuesday or Saturday. These cancellations account for roughly 3% of the scheduled departures at Gatwick during this period.
The affected air traffic control staff are employed by Nats, formerly known as the National Air Traffic Service. Discussions will commence to determine which flights will be canceled, with airlines affected in proportion to their utilisation of the airport. Among the airlines impacted, EasyJet is expected to bear the brunt of the cancellations, with British Airways and Ryanair also facing disruptions to their flight schedules.
