Southern Water faces councillors to discuss failings

Southern Water wants to explain how it will be "resilient" going forward

Representatives from Southern Water will meet with all 32 councillors from an authority in East Sussex to answer questions about the provider's performance.

Hastings Borough Council members will quiz the water company later about sewage spills, flooding in the town and loss of water supply earlier in the year.

Southern Water's chief customer officer, Katy Taylor, said in October: “Our performance in Hastings over the last two years has not been good enough."

Campaign group Boycott Water Bills said the company is not fit for purpose.

"They are polluting our seas, hiking up our bills, and giving themselves massive pay rises," said campaigner Kate Colley.

The chief executive of Southern Water, Lawrence Gosden, has been given a £183,600 bonus despite the utility firm proposing an increase of 73% to household bills over the next five years.