Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Official Report 658KB pdf

Subordinate Legislation

Development of Water Resources (Designated Bodies: Modification) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (SSI 2017/347)

Water and Sewerage Services to Dwellings (Collection of Unmetered Charges by Local Authority) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017 (SSI 2017/348)

Agenda item 3 is consideration of two negative instruments. I refer members to the papers and invite comment.

My comment relates to the Water and Sewerage Services to Dwellings (Collection of Unmetered Charges by Local Authority) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017. I note that the order

“makes each local authority responsible for the collection of the charges payable for water services and sewerage services that are provided by Scottish Water to dwellings”

in their area, and that it amends the Water and Sewerage Services to Dwellings (Collection of Unmetered Charges by Local Authority) (Scotland) Order 2014 by extending its provisions for a further two years from 2018 to 2020.

I also note that the Scottish Government’s negotiations with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and Scottish Water concluded that

“at COSLA’s request, during the 2 year extension period the Scottish Government would carry out a formal review of the collection options to inform the next order. This review will get underway later this year.”

I hope that the review will determine that the responsibility for collecting the charges should stay with councils.

I note that the

“total amount deducted for the cost of collection in relation to services provided in each financial year was fixed at £18.25 million.”

By my calculations, each council will get, on average, more than £0.5 million from the collection of the charges. I hope that that additional revenue will stay with councils.

No other member wants to make a comment. I duly note that the committee does not want to make any recommendations in relation to the instruments.