Ed is the CEO of the London-based charity Pilotlight. He is the former Secretary General of Co-operatives UK, the UK trade association for co-operatives and former chief executive of the British National Consumer Council (NCC) and CEO of the NCC's successor, Consumer Focus.[2][3]

Feargal is well known for his campaigning on the sewage scandal, but he also has extensive experience in regulation in the Radio Authority.

Professor Catherine Waddams. Member of the Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) and Emeritus Professor in Norwich Business School. Founding director of the Centre for Competition Policy at UeA. Previously member of the Competition commission and non executive director at Ofwat.

Julia King, Social Place. Public Participation in Design of Future Water systems. Watch Julia’s research on water here

Director of Unity Consulting, Scotland, presenting from his research on the Scottish model, and what future models for public participation in water ownership should look like. Tommy is providing a short video introduction to the issues.

HOUSE OF LORDS Industry and Regulators Committee 1st Report of Session 2022–23

Final Report on Case Study Research for Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. 2021

HOUSE OF LORDS In Focus Published Monday, 19 February, 2024. Nicola Newson

Only 14% of rivers in England have a good ecological status and none have a good chemical status. Agriculture, wastewater and diffuse urban pollution are the main sources of pollution affecting water bodies in England. In recent years, the failure of water companies to prevent sewage discharges has attracted attention, and questions have been asked about whether the government and bodies such as Ofwat and the Environment Agency are doing enough to regulate water companies and enforce environmental law.

Dr Kate Bayliss interrogates Labour’s plans to solve the crisis of the water and sewage system by introducing tougher regulation and argues that won’t be enough. Given the opaque corporate structures of the private utility companies, and the revolving door between Ofwat regulators and the water industry they used to regulate, public ownership seems to be the best option. 

Johnston Birchall (2002).