A few stand out items
- They only plan to reduce leaks by 12% by 2030 (and are leaking 26om litres a day). Given they are taking 120m litres a day out of the Wharfe as part of their drought permit this is a drop in the ocean.
- They persist in saying shareholders pay for Nicola Shaw’s additional payments when actually we pay – by paying the shareholders interest on debt and dividends. Its a poor cover up.
- Ms Shaw has been in the job 2 years and still performance drops, Ms Murray fails to acknowledge the penalties incurred in the last year from shocking performance and the downgrade by the EA
- Mid range pay for water sector CEOs is not something to be celebrated – WC CEOs are paid ridiculous salaries earning millions and millions, see our Rich List here
- The reporting of pay should not have been the result of a newspaper investigation. Overall given we are shackled as customers to a monopoly provider of a vital service there should be much more transparency. The fact is YW has a group structure with loads of companies to hide information and money. Nicola Shaw will no doubt be getting even more than the now public salary – from the range of companies in the group
BUT – we are pleased to see more stakeholder engagement is planned with the Board. We will be inviting the Board to Ilkley – we hope you will come.

