Essex & Suffolk Water is asking its customers to give their views on its Draft Assurance Plan Summary for 2019/20 - which sets out the tough measures it is putting in place to show customers can have confidence in the information it provides.
The annual consultation and Draft Assurance Plan is a key document for Essex & Suffolk Water, as it is part of the company′s commitment to providing transparent and reliable information, helping to maintain the trust of its customers and stakeholders and enabling them to hold it to account for its performance.
Essex & Suffolk Water, which is part of the Northumbrian Water Group, provides water services to 1.8 million customers across Essex, Suffolk and parts of East London.
Last year Northumbrian Water Group was one of just three water companies to be awarded self-assured status by the industry regulator, OFWAT - which is the highest assurance category they can give. The company has also won a number of awards including Utility of the Year 2017 and Company of the Year at the 2018 Water Industry Achievement Awards.
The Draft Plan was developed following conversations with both customers and stakeholders, and reviews with Essex & Suffolk Water employees. There are two versions for consultation - a short summary document, and a more detailed review that sets out the company′s views on its strength′s, risks and weaknesses associated with meeting its commitments to customers and providing accurate information. The Final Assurance Plan will set out how the company will continue to deliver and monitor performance across all of its key areas.
Jim Strange, Asset Strategy Manager for Essex & Suffolk Water said: "It is really important that we have tough measures in place to show how the company is run and how we police ourselves.
This means that our customers, stakeholders and employees can have confidence that we are responsible, behaving ethically and reporting our financial and company information clearly.
"We really want our customers to be involved in shaping the final version of our 2019/20 Assurance Plan, so please take the time to read the draft and give us your feedback."
The Draft Assurance Plan is available to view online at https://www.eswater.co.uk/your-home/Assurance.aspx. Customers who give their views on the plan in a 10-minute online survey by Friday 11 January 2019 will be entered into a prize draw to win an iPad.
All responses to the survey on the Draft Plan will be reviewed before the Final Assurance Plan is published in March 2019.