South East Water Chair Resigns Following Critical Report
South East Water (SEW) has announced the resignation of its independent non-executive chair, Chris Train, in the wake of a highly critical report. The company stated that new leadership is required to "oversee a critical period of positive, transformative change for the company, its customers, and local communities."
This development follows a cross-party group of MPs expressing no confidence in SEW's leadership after a series of significant supply outages.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee criticised SEW's chief executive David Hinton and the board for failing to address "multiple and ongoing failures" that resulted in thousands of homes in Kent losing access to drinking water.
There have also been calls for David Hinton, who received a £115,000 bonus last year in addition to his £400,000 salary, to resign.
Lisa Clement, the interim independent non-executive chair, commented on the company's direction:
"The company's focus remains on delivering engineering and operational changes that will strengthen the resilience of SEW's network and transform the company for the benefit of customers and local communities."
'Unusual but Necessary Step'
In a report published on Friday, MPs accused SEW of poor leadership, weak governance, and a culture lacking accountability.
Sources close to the environment secretary informed the BBC that "The Secretary of State is looking at all options for turning this company and the wider industry around, including the possibility of calling in shareholders to understand their position on the ongoing issues at the company."
The committee stated it had taken the "unusual but necessary step" of expressing no confidence in SEW's executive team and board due to the severity of the failures.
The report noted that although select committees typically do not focus on the leadership of individual private companies, MPs felt compelled to act because SEW appeared "shielded from the consequences of its incompetence."
In response, SEW announced plans to double investment in the water supply network serving Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire over the next five years.
The company added:
"The board and executive team reiterate their unreserved apology to those customers impacted by recent operational failures, and the resulting loss of public trust in the company and its services."
Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin expressed his view on the report:
"This report confirms that South East Water poses a clear and present danger to public health."
He further stated:
"It's not if there will be another water crisis, but when. The secretary of state for environment has to now call South East Water's owners and shareholders in and make clear that the leadership and board have to go."
This report follows two parliamentary hearings into the outage at Pembury Treatment Works in late 2025, during which tens of thousands of homes, schools, GP surgeries, and care settings in and around Tunbridge Wells were without clean water for up to two weeks.
Committee chairman Alistair Carmichael emphasised the risks involved:
"One cannot overstate the dangers of so many communities losing water supply for extended periods, including schools, GP surgeries and care homes."
The committee is also urging shareholders, including the Utilities Trust of Australia, NatWest Group pension fund, and Desjardins Group, to take action.
'An Unaccountable Clique'
MPs criticised SEW for failing to properly maintain infrastructure, prepare for extreme weather, and support vulnerable customers during outages.
One of the report's strongest criticisms stated:
"A company described by its leadership as having a 'family feel' is perhaps better described as an unaccountable clique."
The report also highlighted poor communication from SEW during the Tunbridge Wells incident, including misinformation about bottled water stations.
Regulator Ofwat noted that South East Water has one of the worst records in the industry for supply interruptions over the past decade.
Ofwat is currently consulting on a proposed fine of up to £22.46 million related to failures connected to the Tunbridge Wells incident.
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