The chief executive of Thames Water has been challenged to attend a public question-and-answer session with residents in Earley and Woodley.
Mike Giles, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency, has written to Chris Weston calling on him to answer questions about sewage discharges, rising water bills and executive pay.
The invitation would see Mr Weston meet residents face-to-face before the end of the year.
Mr Giles said residents deserved the opportunity to question the company directly because it provides a vital public service.
He said: “Residents are paying Thames Water more and more for a service that keeps getting worse, while sewage pours into our local rivers and executives receive massive bonuses.
“I’ve invited the Thames Water CEO to join me at a public Q&A in Earley and Woodley before the end of the year. It’s time Thames Water faced the music. Residents deserve straight answers on this fiasco.”
The challenge comes amid continued concerns about sewage discharges into local waterways.
Figures cited by Mr Giles show there were 254 sewage discharges into the River Thames during 2025, lasting a total of 1,413 hours. The River Loddon recorded 52 discharges, totalling 517 hours.
Mr Giles also pointed to plans for average household bills to rise and questioned executive pay at the company.
Earlier this year, Thames Water revealed that £4.09 million had been paid to senior executives and board members through its management retention plan in the year to March 2025. The company’s annual report also showed chief executive Chris Weston’s total pay rose to £1.16 million.
Explaining why he is seeking a public meeting, Mr Giles said: “As a monopoly provider of water services to the public, it’s right that Thames Water face proper public scrutiny of their actions.
“The Thames Water CEO addressing the concerns of Earley and Woodley residents directly would be an important step in the right direction.”
Thames Water’s headquarters are based in Reading, close to the Earley and Woodley constituency.
Mr Giles was selected as the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Earley and Woodley earlier this month. He is also a district councillor for Sonning Common and a cabinet member at South Oxfordshire District Council.
The chief executive of Thames Water has been challenged to attend a public question-and-answer session with residents in Earley and Woodley.
Mike Giles, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency, has written to Chris Weston calling on him to answer questions about sewage discharges, rising water bills and executive pay.
The invitation would see Mr Weston meet residents face-to-face in Earley and Woodley before the end of the year.
Mr Giles said residents deserved the opportunity to question the company directly because it provides a vital public service.
He said: “Residents are paying Thames Water more and more for a service that keeps getting worse, while sewage pours into our local rivers and executives receive massive bonuses.
“I’ve invited the Thames Water CEO to join me at a public Q&A in Earley and Woodley before the end of the year. It’s time Thames Water faced the music. Residents deserve straight answers on this fiasco.”
The challenge comes amid continued concerns about sewage discharges into local waterways.
Figures cited by Mr Giles show there were 254 sewage discharges into the River Thames during 2025, lasting a total of 1,413 hours. The River Loddon recorded 52 discharges, totalling 517 hours.
Mr Giles also pointed to plans for average household bills to rise and questioned executive pay at the company.
Earlier this year, Thames Water revealed that £4.09 million had been paid to senior executives and board members through its management retention plan in the year to March 2025. The company’s annual report also showed chief executive Chris Weston’s total pay rose to £1.16 million.
Explaining why he is seeking a public meeting, Mr Giles said: “As a monopoly provider of water services to the public, it’s right that Thames Water face proper public scrutiny of their actions.
“The Thames Water CEO addressing the concerns of Earley and Woodley residents directly would be an important step in the right direction.”
Thames Water’s headquarters are based in Reading, close to the Earley and Woodley constituency.
Mr Giles was selected as the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Earley and Woodley earlier this month. He is also a district councillor for Sonning Common and a cabinet member at South Oxfordshire District Council.
A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We will respond to Mr Giles’ letter but we are constantly engaging with our communities across the Thames Water region.
“Thames Water is a very different business to the one of two years ago. We continue our operational turnaround while delivering the biggest upgrade to our network in 150 years. Every pound of profit is being reinvested in the business and last year we spent £2.7 billion improving our infrastructure, the equivalent of more than £7 million every day. We are currently carrying out a major mains replacement scheme that will reduce leaks in south Reading.
“In April typical bills rose by 3.4 per cent, in line with inflation, and these increases are enabling this record investment.
“This was achieved while we also reduced pollutions by 18 per cent, serious pollutions by 27 per cent and leakage by 15.1 per cent.”
