Water, water 3
A certain amount of discussion here and elsewhere about what the parties promised about water charges during the Assembly election campaign. I can't vouch for every conversation on voters' doorsteps, or even every media interview. But for your information, read on for what the manifestoes of the four executive parties said....
DUP 2007 manifesto
The government's plans for water charging ignore the fact that the people in Northern Ireland already pay for their water. The debate should not be about whether people should pay for water, but whether they should be expected to pay twice. We believe they should not.
...Any system of water charging must:
Fully reflect the existing contribution made through the regional rate.
Extend the option of metering for households
Keep bills at a level no higher than in England and Wales
Sinn Fein 2007 manifesto
Opposing Water Charges, Privatisation, Double-Taxation
• Oppose the imposition of water charges and the
privatisation of the water service, and any other forms of
regressive double-taxation.
• Ensure the water charges legislation is deferred to the
incoming Assembly and Executive to allow for an open
debate and consultation around the issue of water reform.
• Ensure that the legacy costs of the failure to invest in
water and sewerage are covered by the British
Government.
Water charges are another such form of double-taxation that
has become the trademark of the British Labour Party. They are
regressive taxes. Those least able to pay - the working poor,
older people, lone parents, people with disabilities and health
needs, small businesses - will be hit the hardest. Water charges
will therefore create and reinforce existing patterns of poverty,
including child poverty and fuel poverty. Indeed, as a result we
will be faced before long with a new situation in Ireland: water
poverty.
Sinn Féin is opposed to the imposition of water charges and is
opposed to the privatisation of water services. We believe that
water services should remain within public ownership and
should be funded through the general taxation system. It
should not be down to people here to pay for the investment
that successive British Governments have failed to deliver for the
Six Counties.
To advance this priority, Sinn Féin in Government will work to:
• Oppose the privatisation of public services.
• Oppose the imposition of water charges and the
privatisation of the water service, and any other forms of
regressive double-taxation.
• Ensure the water charges legislation is deferred to the
incoming Assembly and Executive to allow for an open
debate and consultation around the issue of water reform.
• Ensure that the legacy costs of the failure to invest in
water and sewerage are covered by the British
Government.
SDLP Manifesto 2007
The failure of other parties to agree has allowed direct rulers the opportunity to push through the Treasury agenda of introducing water charges. The SDLP has been consistent in its opposition
to new water charges as we already pay for water through our rates and we should not be forced to pay twice. In the short term we will do what we can to reverse the damage that this legislation has caused and the way that this new company has been established. Such an obligation would require the same commitment and clarity from other parties. In the long term the SDLP will mitigate against privatisation of our Water Service.
• Within the next Assembly scrutinise and review the water reform process in terms of fairness, affordability and sustainability, with a view to legislating for restoration of the transparent link between rates and water, for which the Barnett formula does not make provision;
• Oppose any plans to privatise the water service;
• Modernise the water service and improve water quality;
• Review other options for the status and structure of the Water Service including mutualisation;
• Upgrade the sewage system to meet EU and modern environmental standards; and
• Develop a modern and streamlined procurement process for all major capital and structural
maintenance contracts in order to ensure increased accountability and transparency, providing better value for the public.
THE SDLP WILL CONTINUE TO OPPOSE SEPARATE WATER CHARGES AND WILL RESIST
PRESSURES FOR PRIVATISATION OF THE WATER SERVICE
UUP Manifesto 2007
• Working with the other Executive parties to implement the Programme for
Government Committee's agreed proposals to delay the Direct Rule Administration's
water charges - allowing the Assembly and Executive to consider a fairer, more
sustainable approach
• Capping the Direct Rule Administration's introduction of water charges at a maximum
of £100 - prohibiting any rises while the Assembly and Executive devise a fairer, more
sustainable alternative
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I apologise to all DUP and SF people. I said you opposed water charges when you quite clearly opposed direct rule water charges, not the ones you are about to impose.
To be honest, I have never read a manifesto in my life as they only contain politicians' promises, so my own fault really.
Couple of questions after reading these snippets though.
Why do the DUP not want us to pay charges less than or equal to Scotland? I know from living there that the water bill comes along with, and as part of the council tax bill. I wonder how they compare to England and Wales? No mention of privatisation from the DUP either, although their attitude to private sector involvement in visitor centres may give us a clue as to their position in regards to water supply.
Does anyone else spot the irony here? Sinn Fein think the Brits didn't pump enough money into the six counties. The same six counties that took an embarrassingly large slice of UK money, mostly to stop SF's mates killing people like me and repairing town centres. But instead of paying for that, some genius in SF policy thinks they should have been repairing the sewers.
The SDLP were planning on, among other things, modernising the water service and improving water quality, and upgrading the sewage system to meet EU and modern environmental standards. No mention of how, so we can only presume it would be through the use of a magic wand.
The UUP said something about a committee. Somebody must have listened to them in that particular forum.
One positive thing here though: all the parties were able to see the practical reality of the issue.
None of the partys' language totally excludes water charges; opposing the 'imposition' of charges still allows for an agreed system. Avoiding twice payment is not preventing an increase provided there is no double counting. Leaving it to a local administration is putting it on the long finger until a new executive settled in. Resisting separate water charges does not exclude water charges in some form. Demanding that the UK government cough up to pay for neglecting the infrastructure has meant nothing as we now know. I think all manifestos were written to close some doors but careful enough not to close them all.