WICS publishes first set of price control Decision Papers

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland has published five Initial Decision Papers to inform its next price review for Scottish Water – the Strategic Review of Charges 2021-27.

These papers set out the Commission’s current view on important matters relating to the price review, specifically:

• Strategic issues facing the industry that will impact levels of service beyond the next regulatory control period.

• The prospects for customers’ charges during the next regulatory control period.

• Issues that directly and materially impact the charges that customers will pay in the next regulatory control period.

• The potential for Scottish Water to engage even more effectively with its customers.

The approach to the Strategic Review of Charges 2021-27.

The Initial Papers, published last week, cover price impacts; price prospects; the role of financial tramlines; the overall size of the capital programme; and communicating output and cost effectiveness. They will be followed as the review progresses by Revised and then Final Decision Papers.

The papers provide a framework within which Scottish Water and the Customer Forum can strive to negotiate a price and service package for the next period. WICS has declared it will be “minded to adopt a business plan that is consistent with the Commission’s Final Decision Papers and agreed with the Customer Forum as its draft determination.”

• For coverage of the content of the papers, see July’s The Water Report