The chief executive of South East Water, David Hinton, has announced he will step down from his role, a week after the company's chair resigned in the wake of significant water supply disruptions affecting Kent and Sussex.
Orderly Transition Planned
The supplier confirmed that Hinton, who joined the board in 2013, will remain in his position over the summer to facilitate an orderly transition while a successor is sought. The company stated that Hinton believes his continued presence has become an increasing distraction from the firm's primary objective: delivering a resilient water supply for its customers.
Background of Resignations
Chris Train resigned as non-executive chair last week following a critical report from MPs, who expressed no confidence in the company's leadership. Both Hinton and Train faced intense scrutiny from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee regarding their handling of multiple supply interruptions across Kent and Sussex between November and January, which left thousands of residents without access to tap water, unable to shower or flush toilets.
Political and Community Pressure
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds welcomed the announcement, stating it should mark the beginning of positive change at South East Water, prioritising customer needs and ending supply outages. The Tunbridge Wells community group Dry Wells Action had called for Hinton's departure and urged the company to appoint consumer representatives to its board to ensure their voices are heard.
Alistair Carmichael, chair of the Efra committee, described Hinton's decision as right for the long-term good of customers and the company. He urged the interim chair and board to recruit a new chief executive urgently, noting that the company has been repeatedly close to serious failure over the past eight years.
Company Response
South East Water emphasised that Hinton's resignation involved no disagreement with the board. Lisa Clement, independent non-executive director and interim chair, expressed gratitude for Hinton's loyal service. The board previously stated that new independent leadership was needed to oversee a period of positive, transformative change.
Committee Findings
The Efra committee's report, published last week, described South East Water as devoid of proper leadership and riddled with cultural problems. It highlighted failings such as poor infrastructure maintenance, inadequate risk monitoring, insufficient investment, and a tendency to blame external factors like climate change. The company also faced criticism for its slow and disorganised crisis response, poor customer communication, and insufficient emergency water supplies, leaving vulnerable residents without support.
Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells, Mike Martin, called Hinton's resignation inevitable but welcomed it, stressing the need for fresh leadership to overcome entrenched groupthink.
During a January hearing, MPs questioned the accuracy of Hinton's evidence and his accountability. Recalled earlier this month, Hinton admitted he had got it wrong in handling the outages and acknowledged team failings. However, the committee concluded that the leadership showed a pattern of obfuscating responsibility and groupthink, hindering their ability to analyse problems and learn lessons.
