Community engagement
Our vision
Our aim is to engage communities, stakeholders and local interests in our work.
We are a transparent organisation and prefer to discuss issues openly with interested parties, from day to day matters to more strategic discussions.
What steps are needed?
We believe we need to:
- have a communication plan for stakeholder engagement
- tailor communications to all types of stakeholder groups and obtain their feedback
- more specifically inform and discuss proposed development work with local communities and listen to their views
- assess and report on the value of our voluntary work and investment, such as work with charities
- be proactive in education on water issues
- promote water conservation
- increase efforts to explain what customers' bills pay for.
Where are we now?
We talk to a wide range of interests in a number of different ways, as illustrated below:
Publications – We publish an annual Striking the balance report and ‘Sustainability indicators’ booklet. These aim to provide stakeholders with information on our performance in terms of sustainability.
Customer service – telephones answered by our own staff and not a machine, independent face to face surveys and a customer liaison panel.
Water partnerships – bringing ourselves, councils and the EA together on local and strategic issues.
Engineering schemes – community meetings are used to explain construction schemes.
Sustainability panel – looks at strategic public health and sustainability issues and reports back to the Board.
Biodiversity action plan – brings together those who carry out catchment management with our funding team so that they can report on achievements and lessons to be learnt.
Regulators – regular three-way meetings are held with the EA and Natural England.
Environmental health officers – the panel meets twice a year to discuss public health issues.
Health, Safety and Welfare Committee – gathers to discuss any staff issues.
Land owners – Advisors work closely with the NFU and CLA on strategic issues and directly with farmers on soil management & efficiency.
Some communication examples are below, with further information on our work located in the related pages.
Customers
· Regular customer satisfaction surveys.
· Ofwat assessment of customer service.
· Regular customer focus groups.
· Working to improve water affordability for lowest income customers through Assist and Restart programmes.
· The ‘Wessex Water Promise’ provides customer guarantees and compensation well in excess of the statutory guaranteed standards scheme. | Staff
· Forward-thinking policies on bullying and harassment.
· Staff seminars to discuss performance and business plans.
· ‘Source’ – our intranet and internal TV channel which communicate effectively and regularly to all staff.
· Monthly team briefings.
· Our company newsletter.
· Various staff wellbeing services including: private healthcare and free use of Bath University gym. |
Local residents
· Our considerate traffic management plans minimise disruption during construction.
· We hold regular consultations with residents at parish meetings and other local meetings.
· We involve local residents in business development.
· Our education visits.
| Farmers & landowners
· Every six months representatives of the NFU and country landowners meet senior executives from Wessex Water to discuss issues of mutual interest.
· As part of our Catchment Management scheme, we foster mutually beneficial long term relationships with farmers through regular visits.
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Progress during 2009-10 includes:
Public information
Stakeholder meetings
Charity and community work
Education
Water efficiency work