EXCL: South East Water's under-fire CEO is refusing to attend Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's scrutiny meeting on Monday.
In a letter, David Hinton argues it's “happening too soon” for him to be able to give the committee “the answers they understandably want”.
@itvmeridian
🚨Tunbridge Wells Businesses 🚨
If you lost revenue in the December Water Outage then please fill in this form.
We will collate the responses and take them to South East Water, who have indicated that they may (may) look at extending their compensation scheme.
https://t.co/mNETvxo7Pm
Update 2145 Mon 12 Jan
Power outages today meant that pumping stations serving parts of St John’s, Southborough, Langton Green, and Speldhurst failed, causing water outages in these further areas.
The intermittent outages affecting South Tunbridge Wells and Pembury are still ongoing and were compounded today by a brief interruption at Pembury treatment works (which is now back up and running).
Due to water outages in other parts of Kent and East Sussex, South East Water’s leadership capacity (already extremely limited) is increasingly stretched.
My priority is making sure schools are able to stay open as much as possible, as students should be taking their A-Level and GCSE mock examinations right now. Today, I’ve been working with local headteachers and SE Water to get bottled water, as well as grey water for lavatory flushing, to local schools.
I’ve secured grey water for lavatory flushing to be delivered to schools this evening, so I’m hopeful that some schools may be able to open tomorrow morning (depending on SEW actually doing the deliveries!). Always check with your child’s school for updates.
I’ve been raising this in meetings with the Government’s Water Minister and DEFRA throughout the day and have pushed the Minister to sort out communication issues between UK Power Networks and South East Water.
I’m also coordinating with SE Water to ensure our only bottled water distribution point at Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club on Frant Road remains fully stocked and operational. I am pushing for a further bottled water station at St John’s Leisure Centre for those in St John’s and Southborough suffering from outages.
You can still collect bottled water from the Rugby Club until 10:00pm this evening.
I raised South East Water’s woeful handling of this current crisis in Parliament today. You can watch that here.
I’m continuing to work with the Government and local authorities to mitigate the impacts on residents, students, and local businesses.
I will continue to communicate with you all – but I am afraid to say that (whatever SE Water says) I expect we will still be having difficulties until the weekend.
Best wishes,
Mike
If you’ve a few minutes to spare we’d really like to hear from you about what you think the Council’s spending priorities should be when setting the 2026/7 budget.
https://t.co/fLzrGJP1gL
Today at Kent County Council, a Liberal Democrat motion passed unanimously (71–0) demanding that @sewateruk account for its repeated failures across Kent and in Tunbridge Wells.
Invisible CEO David Hinton has serious questions to answer. 📢 #Kent#KCC
YEEEEESSSSS!
Our campaign pushed the government to enact the already passed legislation (our team in the Lords also laid the dam amendment earlier this week).
Harassing women in public will now be an enforceable crime!
Best Christmas present ever!
RVP redevelopment project - final call for the current engagement phase at https://t.co/nhcOTEVEnc
It closes at the end of today, Monday 15 December. Have your say on the emerging proposals which include a boutique cinema, enhanced retail space and new homes.
Great to see so many people in the town centre today to welcome Primark! Around 500 queueing before the official opening.
‘The town is very much open for business and ready to extend a big warm welcome to everyone for festive shopping and entertainment.’
Cllr Justine Rutland
We’re sure you already know but the boil notice has been lifted for those affected by the water outage in Tunbridge Wells. For information about what you (businesses and residents) may need to do, if anything, please see https://t.co/lkpfa6HK80
1 more sleep and the big guy is back! For 9 nights Santa is visiting the streets of Tunbridge Wells collecting much needed food donations for Nourish Community Foodbank. Check out his routes and to track Santa visit https://t.co/xvS8QFOf7m.
I am aware of the water outage in Tunbridge Wells - indeed I am without water myself.
I am onto the CEO of South East Water and will post updates here as I get them.
Mike
Anyone affected by domestic abuse in #Kent#Medway can get practical and emotional support including refuge, safe accommodation, specialist programmes and 1-2-1 help. You are not alone. Find information and support at https://t.co/RXd7vBYnSC.
#KnowSeeSpeakOut#EndDomesticAbuse
Its’s the English Masters Tomorrow. If you’re in the home of #Subbuteo, Tunbridge Wells, come and have a peek. We’ll be in the The Amelia. Good luck to everyone playing
A reminder to put your bins out early this week please.
The hot weather means bin collections will start earlier (which hopefully will make conditions a little better for the crews out collecting) so please have your bin out early, ideally the night before.
Thank you.