Mike Treleaven to present Water Justice Petition to 10 Downing Street - Thursday March 24th.

Totnes Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Mike Treleaven, will present his petition calling for 'Water Justice' to 10 Downing Street at 9.00a.m. on Thursday March 24th. The petition calls for fair treatment for people in the South West where 3% of the population pay for the clean up of 30% of the nation's beaches.

Speaking before travelling to London with the petition Mike Treleaven said:

'Water bills in South Devon and the South West generally are 30% above the average for the rest of the country and have risen 16% this year as customers will have found out recently when the bills landed on their doormats. I am calling for Government to equalise the charges over the country. There was provision for this in a 1977 Act of Parliament but this was repealed by the Conservatives when they privatised water in the 1980s. As a result of privatisation Britain was unable to claim EU money to help pay for the beach clean up and bills in the South West have rocketed as local people have had to foot the bill. Last year Liberal Democrat M.P., Richard Younger-Ross, tabled an amendment to the Water Bill to allow equalisation but this was rejected by the Labour Government.'

He continued:

'Over recent weeks I have been collecting signatures for my petition throughout the constituency and will be presenting these to 10 Downing Street on Thursday along with colleagues Julia Goldsworthy and Mathew Taylor from Cornwall. These high charges are imposing intolerable burdens, particularly on pensioners and the low paid for whom no help is available - it is time for action. It is time for Water Justice!'