Independent Customer Group
Independent Customer Group
Our Independent Customer Group recently visited Bonnycraig and Glencorse WTW
Independent Customer Group
The Independent Customer Group (ICG) is hosted by Scottish Water and is operationally independent. Established in 2021, the ICG has a key role in providing independent scrutiny and challenge Scottish Water to take every decision “as if the customer were in the room”. Its purpose is to ensure customers, communities and the environment are at the heart of Scottish Water’s strategy and service delivery, investment priorities reflect customers’ expectations of the sector, and the resultant charges are affordable and represent value for money.
The ICG also chairs the Customer and Community Research Co-ordination Group, a multi stakeholder forum established to facilitate co-ordination and collaboration among water sector stakeholders on the co-design of research, with the purpose of understanding and providing an evidence base of current and future customer and community requirement of their water and waste water services.
Under the tripartite agreement reached by Scottish Water, Consumer Scotland and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, the ICG has a formal assurance role in the 2027 Strategic Review of Charges. The ICG will report on the extent to which Scottish Water has engaged effectively with customers on its Long-Term Strategy and shorter-term business planning and has appropriately reflected customer views in those plans.
Agnes Robson, a former member of the Customer Forum, and Chair of the Interim Customer Group is appointed as Chair of the Independent Customer Group.
Agnes is joined by three former Customer Forum and Interim Group members and six new members from outside of the industry.
Chair’s Statement
“The Independent Customer Group was established by Scottish Water at the end of March 2021 as a model for bringing a customer and community perspective directly into the strategic decision making of the organisation. Its role is to support and challenge Scottish Water as it goes through the transformation process: to be a critical friend, a sense check, a sounding board and a stimulus for new ideas or more stretching approaches.
In addition to absorbing background information about the organisation, the Group has discussed and provided views on a wide range of issues including consultation with communities on investment projects, the development of a “benefits framework”, the customer code, sewer flooding, the wholesale market, performance measurement, and strategies for customer engagement and partnership working. Evidence from research into customers’ views on water affordability underpinned the submission of the Group’s considered view on SW’s pricing proposals for 2022-23.
As knowledge has grown, the Group has become more proactive in initiating subjects for consideration. A working-group format rather than presentation and questions has proved productive for some subjects, and we will be building on that in the coming year.
The ICG understands the scope and scale of the challenges facing Scottish Water both in its delivery of essential services under the continuing fallout from the pandemic, ageing infrastructure, and the impact of climate change while at the same time pursuing the ambitious transformation agenda. The Group has been hugely impressed by the energy behind and commitment to putting customers and communities at the heart of what they do; the pace has often been hectic.
I want to thank the members of the ICG for their commitment to this new model for bringing the customer voice into decision making and for the experience and insights they have brought to the table. On behalf of the Group I also want to record our appreciation of the very open and positive way SW staff have approached their interactions and discussions with the ICG and the Group looks forward to building on that constructive relationship in the coming year.”
Agnes Robson
