South East Water pulls out of council meeting

South East Water (SEW) has pulled out of a council meeting set to examine recent water supply disruptions in Kent.

Thousands of homes across Kent and East Sussex were left without water for several days in December, while about 30,000 properties faced further problems earlier in January.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said the item on Monday's agenda was postponed at SEW's request as the company felt it was "too soon for them to be able to give the committee the answers they understandably want".

David Hinton, SEW's chief executive, said the delay would allow the company to complete its investigation and return with its "learnings, commitments and the changes we'll make".

Hinton said the company was fully committed to attending a future meeting of the council's overview and scrutiny committee, but suggested it be pushed back by a month.

He said the extra time would also allow an ongoing Drinking Water Inspectorate investigation into the problems at Pembury Water Treatment Works in November and December 2025 to conclude.

Andy Fairweather, the overview and scrutiny committee chair, said they were "disappointed about the late cancellation" but they "look forward to having the opportunity to question SEW at the next available meeting".

Jonathan Hawker, chairman of local group Dry Wells Action, told BBC Radio Kent he was shocked.

"This would have been the first opportunity for any public accountability from this failing water company," he said.

"It feels it doesn't have to be accountable to elected representatives or the community it has failed.

"How can it be too early when [it has] been a week since the crisis has been resolved by their own claim?

"How do they not know at this stage what has gone wrong?"

Dry Wells Action had invited SEW to its public meeting on Wednesday, but the company did not attend.

The group says it will still speak at the meeting on Monday to raise questions on behalf of the people who attended its own public meeting.

It said it would ask for the appointment of an independent expert to asses the local water infrastructure and provide a costed schedule of works.

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