No wonder he’s smiling – Alex Plant, the fat cat boss of Scottish Water; water we thought was free in a Lochside river and Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton.
By Bill Heaney
Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie has taken a swipe at Scottish Water for stoking “fat cat salaries” with price hikes for customers.
It comes in the wake of the announcement by the utilities giant that households face a 9.9 per cent increase in charges.
Senior executives at the firm were handed £227,000 in bonuses in August, reports reveal.
It used to be that water which came from the heavens was looked upon was looked upon as a gift from God. That it was one of the few things in this world that was free.
But in the new era of fat cats and eye-watering salaries, household budget busting water charges have shot up by 8.8 per cent last April, with an even bigger hike is set to follow this year.
A five per cent increase was levied in 2023 after Jackie challenged the Scottish Government to keep costs low during the cost of living crisis.
Meanwhile, Scottish Water’s CEO, Alex Plant, takes home a prestigious £483,000 package – while 500 workers belonging to trade union Unite announced this week that they were being balloted for industrial action following a ‘poor’ pay offer.
MSP Jackie Baillie blasted the price hike, saying: “It is a gross insult that Scots are being forced to pay for eye-watering bill hikes while Scottish Water’s Chief Executive rakes in £50,000 a month.
“The SNP is responsible for Scottish Water and approved this inflation busting rise during a cost-of-living crisis. The SNP must reverse this outrageous decision.
“Households should be protected from punishing price hikes and Scottish Water should focus on improving our water infrastructure rather than funding fat cat salaries for those at the top.”
The increase will take effect from April 1st and will be added to council tax bills, which are themselves forecast to increase by a stunning ten per cent, by Scottish Water.