Ein cyf/Our ref: NICW/24/DC/CCW

Lia Moutselou

Senior Leader Welsh Policy

CCW

18 November 2024

Dear Lia,

Thank you for your recent communication regarding the proposal to set up citizen panels to scrutinise the activity of water companies in Wales.

We have not carried out any activity directly on water companies in Wales, so we are not in a position to provide you with a formal NICW position. I am also mindful of our remit timescale which stretches from 5 years in the future, to 80 years. In other words, we have to be careful not to comment on or endorse decisions which fall within that five year window.

The policy change you propose falls into a grey area for us; whilst a decision on whether to proceed with citizen panels would likely fall within five years, there are clearly implications for such the citizen panels to have impact beyond five years.

My feeling is that the principle of greater scrutiny of water companies would find fertile ground in the Commission. We are keen to see governance and transparency improved across all aspects of society, and particularly within our purview. However, for the reasons outlined above, I do not feel we are able to lend our formal support for your suggested change at this time.

Yours sincerely,