Waterwatch Scotland welcomed a more in depth review of public sector organisations using outcome based performance reporting in its response to Consumer Focus Scotland’ Draft Annual Plan 2010-11. Waterwatch Scotland would welcome working with Consumer Focus Scotland on this particular area of work, especially as it has worked closely with Scottish Water and other key stakeholders over the past few years to encourage greater emphasis on more qualititive aspects of Scottish Water delivering its business plan, and as a result of this ongoing work, Scottish Water has named the provision of high quality customer service as one of its five strategic goals within its business plan 2010-15.
Waterwatch Scotland’ evidence base and key indicators for the need to improve on consumer issues are founded upon our direct contact with water customers who are unhappy with their water and wastewater services. Waterwatch Scotland does recognise that whilst working with stakeholders is critical to share experience, access to customer contact statistics and complaint case studies should also be considered to provide an accurate gauge of consumer experience and associated issues that can be taken forward within a consumer representative role.
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Note to Editors:
Waterwatch Scotland (WWS) is the national complaints handling authority for all domestic and non-domestic water customers and customer representative body for the water industry in Scotland.
WWS is independent of Scottish Water, government and other water/sewerage service providers. Its role is to:
- Investigate Complaints
- Represent Customers’ Views & Interests
- Influence Policy
- Inform & Advise
WWS’ responsibility for second-tier complaints handling means that WWS can take forward individual customer grievances against Scottish Water or other providers.
WWS can also make statutory recommendations to Scottish Ministers, Scottish Water and other service providers, and industry regulators: Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS).
From time to time, WWS receives complaints which are of such importance or have a public-interest impact beyond the specific complaint itself, that WWS will issue a formal report on the complaint and greater issues raised.
In addition to the making of such formal reports and the findings and recommendations made, a key role of WWS is to continue to work to ensure that such recommendations are adopted in the interest of customers to mitigate and prevent future occurrences.
Issued on behalf of Waterwatch Scotland, Corporate Office, Forrester Lodge, Inglewood, Alloa, FK10 2HU