Speeches by Riddell-Carpenter.

“It is not an honest conversation about the failings and flaws and issues within your organisation that you are prepared to have publicly. We are clearly not going to agree on this, but I would suggest that until you can understand that, you cannot build trust with your customer base, nor can you have good communication…”

“When you were last here we were examining an issue in November. We have called you back as we are examining an issue in January. If we call you back for a third issue in the spring will we be scrutinising the same leadership team, or will it be a new face?”

“Were communications in the room when you made that decision?”

“That is like saying that BA are a really good airline but the planes cannot get off the ground.”

“Chris, you said earlier that you failed customers; you failed in your primary duty, “We failed in a number of areas, and there are opportunities for us to learn and develop.” As the Chair just said, how bad would things have to get for a change in leadership at the very top?”

“You might be asking the right questions, but you are coming up with the wrong answers.”

“Were they in the room when you made that decision?”

“You might be asking the right questions, but you are coming up with the wrong answers.”

“I would refer to a fleeting comment I made earlier; you might be asking the right questions, but you are not finding the right answers. You mentioned at the beginning that you have brought in additional skills to the board, either exec or non-exec, I cannot remember which. Can you tell me whether those skills come from…”

“Chris, you said earlier that you failed customers; you failed in your primary duty, “We failed in a number of areas, and there are opportunities for us to learn and develop.” As the Chair just said, how bad would things have to get for a change in leadership at the very top?”

“Which water company do they come from?”

“When you were last here we were examining an issue in November. We have called you back as we are examining an issue in January. If we call you back for a third issue in the spring will we be scrutinising the same leadership team, or will it be a new face?”

“Which water company do they come from?”

“Caroline, you were at Thames Water. What years were you there?”

“Were they in the room when you made that decision?”

“I would imagine they were not in the room because I cannot imagine that anyone would advise you that it would be a good move to seek an injunction against criticism of your organisation so that the public could not see it. If you wanted to build trust with your customer base and to fulfil your social contract, you woul…”

“Were communications in the room when you made that decision?”

“What skills, advice and critical questions are you bringing to the board?”

“I would imagine they were not in the room because I cannot imagine that anyone would advise you that it would be a good move to seek an injunction against criticism of your organisation so that the public could not see it. If you wanted to build trust with your customer base and to fulfil your social contract, you woul…”

“It is not an honest conversation about the failings and flaws and issues within your organisation that you are prepared to have publicly. We are clearly not going to agree on this, but I would suggest that until you can understand that, you cannot build trust with your customer base, nor can you have good communication…”