Separating the retail activities of non-households in Scotland has increased the focus on the customer and certainly led to an increase in the tailored service packages being offered to customers. The proposed new Customer Forum will seek to communicate the views of all customers, both household and non-household, and of customers of both retail and wholesale operations.
The forum’s founding members are proposed to be WICS, Scottish Water and Consumer Focus Scotland. These three parties will establish the forum’s remit and the selection process and criteria for its Board. They will also appoint the Chairman.
The forum itself is proposed to be established as a separate entity, with a ring-fenced remit within Consumer Focus Scotland. Once the forum is established, WICS and Scottish Water will play no role in its day-to-day operation.
Membership of the Board is expected to include appointees nominated by Consumer Focus Scotland, licensed providers and a cross-sectoral business organisation. Board members will be appointed provided they meet the Board selection criteria as determined at the outset by the founding members.
The plan is that the Board would establish an engagement team of three people, including the Chair. Having had regard to the expected price and level of baseline services, this team will engage with Scottish Water to determine which discretionary customer service improvements will be delivered. The engagement team will be able to reach agreement with Scottish Water provided its members reach a unanimous decision, and provided the agreement is within the remit given to it by the Board. Otherwise, the engagement team should return to the Board for further guidance and approval.
In the event that no agreement can be reached, Scottish Water and the Customer Forum would prepare a document that sets out the areas on which they had agreed and any remaining areas of difference. Scottish Water and the forum may choose, either jointly or separately, to set out why they have not been able to agree on a way forward. We would consider this evidence in reaching our initial conclusions in the draft determination.