THE Government’s ban on Wessex Water paying bonuses to its executives for the last financial year has been criticised by local MP Rachel Gilmour.

Mrs Gilmour said the 12-month measure was a missed opportunity and did not go far enough to encourage the water company to reform itself.

Wessex Water was one of six water companies subjected to the Government ban, because of a previous prosecution for two pollution incidents.

But, Mrs Gilmour said it was not enough to stop polluting firms from ‘dodging accountability or rewarding failure’.

However, the company said under its own rules it had already decided it was not going to pay bonuses for 2024-25.

Mrs Gilmour represents the Tiverton and Minehead constituency, which covers West Somerset, several parishes bordering on Wellington, and parts of the Blackdown Hills and Culm Valley.

She said in the West Somerset area, the waters at Blue Anchor West and Dunster Beach had both been given a poor bathing quality rating by the Environment Agency because of pollution.

Mrs Gilmour said: “People across the constituency are fed up with sewage in rivers and poor service, while bills continue to rise and environmental damage worsens.

“The Government has missed an opportunity for real change.

“My party and I have long called for a ban on bonuses until leaks are fixed and sewage spills end, but this ban is too weak, especially when firms can simply hike salaries and get around it.

“It is time to scrap Ofwat (the water industry regulator) and replace it with a tough, independent regulator that holds water companies to account.

“No bonuses for polluting and poor services.

“No loopholes.

“No more excuses.

“It is time the Government took action for fundamental reform to clean up the industry and provide the services the public deserves and pays for.”

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “In 2018 when the two pollution incidents occurred, and in recognition of their seriousness, the then managing director received no environmental bonus.

“Similarly, in 2024 the chief executive officer received no bonus following the conclusion of the prosecution related to those incidents.

“This year, and irrespective of the Government’s new rules, our independent remuneration committee has already confirmed that neither our new chief executive officer or chief financial officer will receive any bonus.

“This decision reflects our own rules which require the achievement of specific customer and environmental performance targets.

“Once the issues from seven years ago were identified, we acted swiftly to minimise environmental harm and carried out emergency repairs.

“Since then, we have invested in AI technology to detect where potential issues on our network might occur to further protect the environment.

“Looking ahead, we are planning a step change in the maintenance of our sewerage infrastructure, with a proposed investment of approximately £300 million by 2030.”

Wessex Water was fined £500,000 after being found negligent as sewage polluted a rhyne near Weston super Mare and a brook near Melksham, in Wiltshire, killing thousands of fish between March and August, 2018.