Calls for 'sewage tax' on utility companies' profits made by East Sussex councillors

The motion, put forward by Liberal Democrat councillors Kathryn Field and Caroline Lambert, calls on the council to support imposing a special tax on water companies’ profits in light of the industry’s discharging of untreated sewage into waterways.

The motion also calls on the council to ask Southern Water to carry out an investigation into an incident which took place in February this year, when raw sewage was discharged into the sea at Eastbourne for ‘more than 17 hours’.

While set for debate at an upcoming full council meeting, the motion will (as is the council’s usual process) first be considered by the lead member whose portfolio it falls under.

In this case, that is Cllr Claire Dowling, who will consider it as part of her lead member for transport and environment meeting next Monday (June 13).

While a final decision will lie with Cllr Dowling, officers are recommending that the she supports an amended motion instead of what is proposed by Cllrs Field and Lambert.

In a report to be considered by Cllr Dowling, a council officer said: “It is not clear how such a tax would work and there is always a risk that such an arrangement could lead to higher costs and, in turn, higher bills for customers.

“Until it becomes clear as to how such a tax would work, it is considered more prudent to call for regulators to consider stronger penalties, or other mechanisms, in an effort to reduce incidents of unauthorised sewage discharges.”

In light of this, the motion recommended by officers removes reference to a sewage tax and would instead see the council call on regulators, such as The Environment Agency, to ‘consider stronger penalties or mechanisms to reduce incidents of unauthorised discharges of sewage’.

The recommended motion differs from the original in other ways as well, for example calling on government body the Environment Agency (rather than Southern Water) to investigate the February incident and take action to prevent a repeat.