BAILLIE BLASTS SCOTTISH WATER EXECUTIVES’ BONUSES DURING COST OF LIVING CRISIS

Scotland Water chief executive Douglas Millican and Jackie Baillie MSP.

By Lucy Ashton

Jackie Baillie has criticised “eye-watering” bonuses at Scottish Water, as executives rake in hundreds of thousands of pounds while people across her constituency are struggling to pay bills during a cost of living crisis.

In 2021 the cost of executive bonuses more than doubled on the previous year as all members took their bonuses, with the total bill soaring to £227,000 for just three people.

The Chief Executive, Douglas Millican, was handed an extraordinary £92,000 bonus for a single year’s work, on top of his £267,000 salary.  His SNP-approved cup is running over.

This comes amid criticism over Scottish Water planning to hit households by at least a 12 percent rise in future bills, ignoring the cost of living crisis, and this is despite sitting on almost £500 million worth of reserves.

The Dumbarton constituency MSP called these bonuses “obscene” and reiterated Labour’s calls for a £100 rebate on water charges for every household in Scotland.

Jackie Baillie said: “It is obscene that high-paid execs are being handed bonuses three times the size of the average salary at taxpayers’ expense while people across Dumbarton, the Vale of Leven, Balloch, Helensburgh and Lomond struggle to make ends meet.

“The SNP are piling pressure on to those who can least afford it by nodding through hikes to water charges, and all the while Scottish Water are sitting on almost £500 million of cash reserves and throwing around almost a quarter of a million pounds in bonuses for just three people.“These eye-watering sums make a mockery of the SNP’s pretense that they can’t spare a penny to freeze water charges or give people a rebate.

“The SNP are responsible for Scottish Water – they must show some leadership and put struggling families first by delivering a £100 rebate for every household.” 

Members Remuneration 2020/21: