Options for greater public control in the water sector
Recent years have seen significant debate about the successes and failures of privatisation in UK utilities sectors and, in particular, whether changes in water company ownership would improve public outcomes. While past governments avoided calls to review the ownership model, the landscape has now shifted materially. With the increasing likelihood that the water special administration regime could be triggered, and with the new UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, calling for greater public control of utilities and greater regional devolution, there is renewed focus on what alternatives exist. In this note, we consider potential models for enhancing public control, drawing on lessons from international experience.
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