Annual Report 2016
STRATEGIC REPORT
Ensuring every one of its customers experiences
excellent service, alongside a reliable, high quality water
supply and affordable bills, is at the heart of everything
South Staffs Water does.
average
Overview
South Staffs Water is a water only
company, supplying around 1.6
million customers in the South
Staffordshire and Cambridge regions.
reduced
As the shape of the water industry
is set to change significantly, the
business is developing a new
flexibility in how it operates that
means it can respond quickly and
adapt as necessary to take full
advantage of the new environment.
household bills
in 2015/16
“The business has
maintained a clear
focus on delivering
both high quality
service and value for
money throughout
the year while it
responds to the
shifting landscape
of the UK water
industry.”
A year of challenge and change
This has been the first year of
delivery in the new AMP6 period.
The new Outcome Delivery
Incentive (ODI) targets represent
our commitment to deliver what
our customers said was important
to them. The five Outcomes
and 15 specific ODIs, covering
all aspects of operations from
water quality, secure and reliable
supplies, customer services and
environmentally sustainable
operations to fair customer bills,
provide real focus for delivery.
Alongside these, we have defined
our own seven business targets,
including a focus on readiness for
non-household retail competition
and employee satisfaction, safety
and wellbeing.
A strong business plan, based
on one of the largest pieces of
customer engagement we have
taken to date, is in place to deliver
these targets and meet the
challenges and opportunities this
five year period will present.
8
The business has maintained a
clear focus on delivering both
high quality service and value for
money throughout the year while it
responds to the shifting landscape
of the UK water industry.
Our household customers continue
to enjoy some of the lowest bills in
England and Wales. In 2016/17, the
average household bill has reduced
from £144 to £142, and from £129
to £127 in the South Staffs and
Cambridge regions respectively.
Water quality has been the most
notable challenge of the year, with
results falling short of our target
in some areas. We have worked
transparently with the Drinking
Water Inspectorate and have taken
steps to restore performance and,
as a result, are already seeing real
improvements in this vital area.
We have maintained our strong
track record on leakage and are
pleased to have delivered our
best result in the customer supply
interruptions measure in 15 years.
Achieving a reduction in our retail
costs without impacting the quality
of customer service is a key area
of focus. Savings have been made
this year through transferring some
non-voice back office functions
offshore, the merging of the
Cambridge customer contact centre
operations with those in the South
Staffs region and further changes to
metering operations.