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A community action group in Tunbridge Wells is demanding the “immediate” sacking of South East Water’s chief executive after weeks of outages which have left tens of thousands of customers without water.
Sky News has seen a letter from Dry Wells Action, which was formed by residents and businesses in the Kent town, to Chris Train, South East Water‘s chairman, demanding answers about the company’s solvency, infrastructure spending and refusal to engage with stakeholders during the biggest crisis in its history.
“You have comprehensively lost the trust of Tunbridge Wells customers,” the letter, sent on Monday morning, said.
“Only by providing us with answers and by sacking your CEO [David Hinton] can you even begin to restore public confidence.”
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The letter underlines the rising tide of public anger about the privately owned company’s performance in recent months, which has led to doctors’ clinics being cancelled, school closures and businesses facing substantial financial losses.
Dry Wells Action’s committee’s letter, which follows its first public meeting, held last week, lambasts Mr Train for the absence of meaningful communication during the crisis.
“We note that the reason given for not attending our public meeting was that you are subject to regulatory investigation (as you have been since 2023, however), and that you have informed the Council that it is “too early” to give answers,” the committee wrote.
“This refusal to submit to public scrutiny, along with the persistent evasion of the national media by your chief executive, demonstrates an appalling lack of accountability by your failing organisation.”
It added that South East Water would also not attend a Borough Council committee meeting scheduled for Monday evening, further deepening public mistrust of the company.
Mr Hinton, who has faced swingeing criticism over his performance and remuneration, was paid…
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