Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie, Scottish Water ‘fat cat’ Alex Plant and Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish LibDems.
Democrat reporter
Commenting today on Scottish Water bosses receiving an eye-watering increase in their salary and bonus payments, Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie MSP said: “People across Scotland are struggling to make ends meet, yet the wages of bosses at Scottish Water are eye-watering and continue to rise.
“This will stick in the craw for people across the country, with water bills having inflation-busting increases, by almost 10% in April this year – after a rise of 8.8% last year,” the Dumbarton MSP and deputy leader of Scottish Labour said.
She added: “Chief Executive Alex Plant has warned about the need for increased investment yet is still happy to be handed a huge boost in his salary of almost £50,000.
“On top of that, bosses are also picking up hefty incentive bonuses totalling more than £230,000, just for doing the job they are already paid for, all at the expense of Scottish taxpayers.
“Scottish Labour has previously called for water rates to be frozen, but the SNP have chosen to sit on their hands. The time for excuses is over and action is needed now.”
The Scottish LibDems stepped in with their comments on the fact that the bonuses for Scottish Water bosses, having risen to over £2.5 million in the last ten years and those paid out in 2024/25 representing the third highest on record, despite water bills going up sharply and 24,398 sewage dumps last year.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “The SNP government is rewarding their water company for failure. Scottish Water are paying out enormous bonuses to bosses who are presiding over filthy sewage dumps and hitting customers with bigger bills.
“We don’t even know the true scale of the sewage dumping that Scottish Water is presiding over because so little of the network is monitored properly, especially compared to England where 100% is monitored.
“To turn the tide on the sewage scandal, Scottish Liberal Democrats have published plans for a Clean Water Act that would bring our sewage network into the 21st century, clamp down on dumping and end this disgusting practice.”