Water companies ought to serve the frequent good | Water business

The Water Fee’s failure to contemplate renationalisation as an choice for the business doesn’t essentially imply that we’ll “watch the business proceed to sink underneath the failed mannequin of privatisation”, because the Inexperienced social gathering’s co-leader, Adrian Ramsay, has steered (‘Much less reorganising, extra doing’: landmark report alone gained’t repair damaged water sector, 21 July). However, as you say in your editorial (21 July), it’ll imply that “making water corporations worth the general public curiosity extra extremely, relative to non-public revenue, might be an ongoing battle”.

There’s a means, nonetheless, of guaranteeing that the general public curiosity wins this battle. Change the legal guidelines on company governance. Legally require water and different non-public corporations to function within the pursuits of the frequent good, and develop a regulatory system to make sure that this occurs. This could make it simpler to prosecute CEOs and different senior executives, ought to they fail to run their corporations within the pursuits of the British individuals. In legislating this manner, the federal government might take its lead from the German structure, article 14, clause 2 of which states: “Property entails obligations. Its use shall additionally serve the general public good.”

In so doing, the federal government might pay attention to the truth that it is a authorized cornerstone of Germany’s social market model of capitalism – one which for a very long time has surpassed Britain’s by way of its greater ranges of prosperity, with far decrease ranges of inequality.Jeffrey HendersonLeeds

I might settle for a privatised water business if I had a selection of supplier. As a Severn Trent buyer, the one strategy to change my water provider is to maneuver home. There isn’t any incentive for Severn Trent to supply me one of the best service it might probably, as there isn’t a penalty for not doing so. Pious statements about regulation are simply addressed by wanting on the regulatory bonfire that happens each time we elect a Tory authorities.

I’ve been a Labour voter for 40-plus years, and was incensed sufficient to consider altering my vote over the profit modifications catastrophe, however now have a constructive cause to contemplate a vote for the Inexperienced social gathering – an unambiguous dedication to nationalisation. That is the one means of getting an accountable system.Peter BowdenBirmingham

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