Freshwater Parish Council has written to Southern Water’s Chief Executive after unanimously voting no confidence in the company’s handling of wastewater infrastructure and sewage-related issues affecting Freshwater and the wider West Wight.
The email, sent on behalf of the Council by Chair, Councillor David Whistance, follows a unanimous resolution passed at the authority’s Full Council meeting on 7th July.
The letter formally notifies Southern Water Chief Executive Lawrence Gosden of the Council’s vote of no confidence, citing concerns over wastewater infrastructure, sewage discharges, storm overflows, beach warnings, tankering, asset maintenance, transparency and communication.
The Council says the resolution reflects “serious and continuing concern” from residents about the impact of Southern Water’s performance on local bathing waters, public health, protected habitats, tourism, local businesses and public confidence.
Freshwater Parish Council is calling on Southern Water to publish a clear, public and site-specific improvement plan for Freshwater and the West Wight.
It says the plan should include timescales, funding commitments, capacity upgrades, maintenance actions, storm overflow reduction plans and clear reporting arrangements so residents can see what is being fixed, when it is being fixed and how progress will be measured.
The Council is also seeking greater transparency over storm overflows, emergency sewage releases, tankering operations, pump failures, asset capacity, planned upgrades, repeated discharges and the reasons behind sewage alerts affecting local bathing waters.
The letter has also been sent to Ofwat, the Environment Agency, DEFRA, Isle of Wight Council, Natural England and the Isle of Wight’s Members of Parliament, with the Council urging the organisations to work together to identify urgent action needed to protect residents, bathing waters, protected habitats, tourism, public health and public confidence.
Cllr David Whistance, Chair of Freshwater Parish Council, has said:
“At its Full Council meeting on 7th July 2026, Freshwater Parish Council unanimously voted no confidence in Southern Water’s current handling of wastewater infrastructure, sewage discharges, storm overflows, beach warnings, tankering, asset maintenance, transparency and communication affecting Freshwater and the wider West Wight.
“The Council’s resolution reflects serious and continuing concern from residents about the impact of Southern Water’s performance on local bathing waters, public health, protected habitats, tourism, local businesses and public confidence.”
Freshwater Parish Council has requested a written response from Southern Water within 28 days, setting out what action the company intends to take in response to the concerns raised.
